JOHOR BAHRU (June 27) The stage for the 16th Johor State Election (PRN) has officially opened, with 172 candidates from various political platforms confirmed eligible to contest. The nomination process, which took place across 56 nomination centers statewide today, proceeded smoothly without any drama of rejected nomination papers.

Election Commission (EC) Chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun confirmed that all 172 nomination papers received before the 10:00 AM deadline had been fully vetted and approved.

"No nominations were rejected for this election. In terms of gender composition, 138 male candidates and 34 female candidates will battle it out to win the people's mandate," he told a press conference at the Sultan Ismail Building, Kota Iskandar.

Candidate Breakdown by Party: BN & PH Field Full Slate
Fierce competition is bound to center on two political giants, Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH), both showcasing their machinery's strength by fielding candidates in all 56 State Legislative Assembly (DUN) seats.

The full breakdown of the 172 contesting candidates is as follows:
Barisan Nasional (BN): 56 candidates
Pakatan Harapan (PH): 56 candidates
Perikatan Nasional (PN): 33 candidates
Parti Bersama Malaysia (PBM): 15 candidates
Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA): 4 candidates
Parti Orang Asli Malaysia (Asli): 1 candidate
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM): 1 candidate
Independent Candidates: 6 candidates