JOHOR BAHRU June 27, 2026 — Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim today marked the official opening of the campaign period for Pakatan Harapan (PH) ahead of the 16th Johor state election, calling on candidates and party workers to engage voters with sincerity, high standards, and strong determination.
In a post on X, Anwar wrote: “The stage has been opened. Now is the time for every candidate and the entire machinery to go down and touch the people with a sincere heart, high etiquette, and unwavering determination.”
He added that the coalition’s work should serve as proof of its commitment, with sincerity as its strength and the hope it brings touching every citizen’s heart. He urged continued progress with patience, steadfastness (istiqamah), and trust in God (tawakal), assuring that honest efforts will succeed.
The post ended with the clear call: “Johor Ke Depan. Undi HARAPAN” (Johor Forward. Vote HARAPAN), accompanied by the hashtags #PakatanHARAPAN, #MemaknaiHARAPANRakyat, and #YakinHARAPAN.
Anwar accompanied the message with a creative Lego-style animated video. The stop-motion video shows Anwar as a Lego minifigure delivering a speech at a podium with prominent “HARAPAN” branding. It features enthusiastic Lego supporters waving red flags, recording on phones, cheering, and interacting with the leader in a lively rally atmosphere — blending humour, energy, and political messaging in a modern, engaging format.
Nominations for the Johor state election closed earlier today, with 172 candidates contesting all 56 seats. Polling day is set for July 11, 2026.
PH and Barisan Nasional (BN) — allies at the federal level — are both fielding full slates of 56 candidates each, leading to direct contests in many constituencies. PH’s lineup features mostly new faces, while Perikatan Nasional (PN) is contesting a reduced number of seats.
The campaign launch signals the start of an intense period of door-to-door engagement, rallies, and outreach across Johor. PH leaders have stressed the importance of mature, civil politics focused on serving the people rather than just seeking votes.
With the stage now officially open, both major coalitions are mobilising their machinery as voters prepare to decide the next Johor state government on July 11.
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