JOHOR BAHRU: The nomination process for the Johor state election ran smoothly today in a peaceful and orderly manner.

Johor Police spokesman Supt Ibrahim Mat Som said most candidates and their supporters had behaved in a professional manner and complied with all rules and regulations during the entire nomination process.

"The Johor Police would like to thank all election machinery and agencies involved for the cooperation given today.

"So far, no undesirable incidents were reported," he said in a statement here.

He also advised all parties, supporters and voters to comply with the standard operating procedures (SOP) to curb the spread of COVID-19 and other relevant regulations to maintain peace and harmony during the state election.

A total of 239 candidates representing 15 parties are qualified to contest in the state polls after the Election Commission (EC) rejected none of their nomination papers today.

The 15 parties comprises those in three main coalitions - Barisan Nasional (BN), Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) - as well as new parties Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang), Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA), Parti Warisan and Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM).

BN (UMNO, MCA and MIC) and PN (Bersatu, PAS and Gerakan) are contesting all 56 seats, while PH is fielding its candidates to contest 30 seats through Amanah and DAP, and 20 seats through PKR, which is using its own logo.

PH, through Amanah and DAP also collaborated with MUDA, a new party fielding seven of its own candidates. However, there is an overlapping interest for the Larkin seat between MUDA and PKR.

Pejuang is contesting 42 seats, Warisan (six), PBM (four) and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) and Parti Bumiputra Perkasa Malaysia (Putra) (one each).

Also contesting are 16 independent candidates.

Of the 239 candidate, 202 were men and 37 women.

The two youngest candidates are Kelly Chye Pei Yee of BN contesting in Mengkibol and Muhammad Airel Zabridin of Pejuang, in Tangkak.

Tosrin Jarvanthi, 71, is the oldest candidate in the polls, representing PN in Bukit Permai.

There will be multiple-cornered fights for the 56 seats, with the highest being seven-cornered in Tiram and Kempas.

There will be six-cornered fights in four seats, five-cornered fights in eight seats, four-cornered fights in 35 seats, and three-cornered fights in seven other seats.

Early voting is set on March 8, while polling on March 12.

-- BERNAMA