Pakatan Harapan (PH) Johor has called on Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi to uphold the principle of collective responsibility within the Unity Government after he publicly questioned several Federal Government policies.
In a joint statement, PH Johor representatives comprising Andrew Chen Kah Eng (Stulang), Tee Boon Tsong (Perling), Kartiyaini Jeyapalan (Skudai), Nor Zulaila Abd Ghani (Tiram) and Lee Wern Yiing (Johor Jaya) said the policies criticised by Onn Hafiz were decisions made collectively by the Federal Government, including ministers from Barisan Nasional (BN) and UMNO.
Among the policies highlighted were the implementation of the e-Invoicing system, the 2% Employees Provident Fund (EPF) contribution for foreign workers, and the requirement for employers to register with the Ministry of Human Resources.
PH said Onn Hafiz should not overlook the fact that UMNO and BN are key components of the Unity Government, with eight UMNO ministers currently serving in the Federal Cabinet.
“Every government policy is decided collectively at the Cabinet level, including with the agreement of UMNO representatives,” the statement said.
The coalition argued that if Onn Hafiz disagreed with any of the policies, he should raise his concerns through the appropriate party channels or via UMNO ministers in the Cabinet, rather than criticising decisions publicly.
PH also pointed out that UMNO leaders had previously acknowledged influencing the Federal Government’s position on the Urban Renewal Bill (URA), demonstrating that the party has the ability to amend or delay policies when it takes a firm stand.
“If UMNO was able to influence decisions on the URA Bill, why wasn’t the same approach taken on e-Invoicing, the 2% EPF contribution for foreign workers, or employer registration requirements?” the statement questioned.
The coalition further criticised what it described as the tendency to turn jointly agreed government policies into political campaign issues during election periods, saying such actions could create the false impression that UMNO had no role in the Federal Government’s decision-making process.
While acknowledging that new policies may require periodic improvements, PH said the government remains open to feedback from industry stakeholders to ensure implementation is more effective and business-friendly.
However, it stressed that portraying the policies solely as burdens without explaining their objectives, rationale and long-term benefits was irresponsible and risked misleading the public.
PH concluded by urging Onn Hafiz to remain consistent and respect the principle of collective responsibility, describing it as a fundamental pillar of the Unity Government.
