The Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) will contest four constituencies under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) banner in the upcoming Johor state election.
MIPP president P Punithan said the decision was reached collectively by PN’s top leadership, including the heads of component parties PAS, Bersatu and Gerakan, according to Utusan Malaysia.
Four seats identified as winnable
Punithan, who also serves as PN deputy chairman, said the four constituencies have been identified as areas with strong prospects of victory and could contribute to the coalition’s efforts to form the next Johor state government.
“PN will contest all 56 seats in Johor, and MIPP will contest four. That is the collective decision that has been made, though discussions are still ongoing,” he said.
The Johor state election will be MIPP’s first electoral contest since the party was officially accepted as a PN component member in April 2024.
Confidence in Indian voter support
Punithan claimed that between 45% and 50% of the Indian community in Johor supports PN and expressed confidence that this backing would be reflected at the ballot box.
He also cautioned Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional against assuming they would secure an easy victory in the election.
“PN is focused on capturing Johor,” he said.
Plans for Melaka and Negeri Sembilan
Beyond Johor, Punithan said MIPP is also preparing to contest two seats in Melaka and three seats in Negeri Sembilan during the respective state elections.
He added that the party is currently evaluating potential candidates, with an emphasis on selecting young professionals capable of representing and advancing the interests of the Indian community.
