Onn Hafiz says ‘poster boy’ status does not guarantee Johor MB appointment

JOHOR BAHRU, June 18 — Being a party’s ‘poster boy’ or principal campaign figure in an election does not guarantee appointment as menteri besar if the party succeeds in forming the state government, Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said.

The Johor caretaker menteri besar said royal consent, particularly from the Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim and Regent of Johor Tunku Mahkota Ismail, is crucial in determining who will lead the state administration.

“As menteri besar, I will naturally be seen as the poster boy.

“But we are clear that regardless of the circumstances, the person who will determine who becomes menteri besar is the Sultan of Johor or the Regent of Johor. The consent of the Johor royal institution is very important,” he said in a special interview with print and online media practitioners at Saujana, his official residence, yesterday.

The ‘poster boy’ strategy is commonly employed during elections to build public confidence and attract voter support for a party’s candidates.

Meanwhile, Onn Hafiz shared advice from the Johor royal institution, urging all parties to observe proper conduct and decorum throughout the campaign period.

He said mutual respect should be practised despite differences in political views and ideologies.

“There is no need for name-calling or insults. Maintain proper manners and decorum. That is Tuanku’s decree,” he said.

In a separate development, Onn Hafiz said feedback from the Johor royal institution and the people served as key benchmarks in assessing the performance of his administration over the past four years.

“For me and the entire (state) exco line-up, I told myself and I told them that the feedback must come from two parties, not even from me. When the people and the royal institution say we are doing a good job, only then will we consider that we have achieved our KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).

“But if either the royal institution or the people feel that we are not doing a good job, then to me, we are not doing a good job. So we are always very alert and sensitive to feedback,” he said.

The Johor state election will take place on July 11, with nominations set for June 27. — Bernama