Onn Hafiz is new Johor MB

(FMT) – Onn Hafiz Ghazi is to be sworn in as Johor’s 19th menteri besar today, three days after Barisan Nasional (BN) swept to a commanding win in the state elections.

Onn Hafiz, the grandson of former prime minister Hussein Onn, will be sworn in by the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar.

The 43-year-old Umno man won the Machap seat with a 6,543 majority in Saturday’s state elections. He served as the executive councillor for youth, sports and tourism in the previous BN-led state government.

Earlier, BN submitted statutory declarations from 38 newly-elected assemblymen stating their support for Benut representative Hasni Mohammad to be appointed the state’s next menteri besar, FMT learned.

This came amid talk of a stalemate between the coalition and the Johor palace over the choice of menteri besar.

Rumours had been swirling that Onn Hafiz, who is also defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein’s nephew, was being touted as the next menteri besar.

A report by Berita Harian yesterday speculated that Onn Hafiz would replace Hasni. However, Malaysiakini reported that he was among three names proposed by Umno, the other two being Hasni and Umno supreme council member Puad Zarkashi.

There had been speculation that Onn Hafiz was the preferred choice of the palace.