Number of voters in Johor increases by 28 per cent

JOHOR BAHRU: The number of voters in the state recorded an increase of about 28 per cent with the addition of 749,731 voters aged 18 and above following the automatic registration process, which poses a huge challenge to all contesting parties.

UMNO secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said the increase meant there were now about 2.5 million eligible voters compared to 1.8 million in the 14th General Election (GE-14).

He said there was a 20 to 30 per cent increase in the number of voters across all 56 state constituencies in the state.

"We are aware of this matter and ready to face it as a challenge in the political arena.

"In fact, all MPs have been briefed on the number of registered voters. The automatic voter registration including for first-time voters had begun in December last year, and (the latest electoral roll) was gazetted on Jan 16," he told reporters after a retreat programme at the Johor UMNO Liaison Office here today.

Meanwhile, when asked about the selection of UMNO and Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates for the state election, he said Johor UMNO would stick to the 'winnable, acceptable and likeable' criteria set by party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in the Melaka polls held last year.

-- BERNAMA