Johor bahru: Former education minister Dr Maszlee Malik of Pakatan Harapan (PH) has emerged victorious in the Puteri Wangsa state seat during the 16th Johor state election.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the official results announced by the Election Commission (EC) showed Maszlee garnering 41,821 votes, securing the seat with a majority of 5,744 votes. He triumphed over four other candidates, including Barisan Nasional's (BN) Teow Chia Ling, Nicholas Paul Vincent of Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama), Rashifa Aljunied of the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA), and independent candidate Wang Wee Seong.

In the previous 2022 Johor state election, the Puteri Wangsa seat was claimed by MUDA's Amira Aisya Abd Aziz with a majority of 7,114 votes. However, she opted not to defend her seat this time, paving the way for Rashifa to contest.

Meanwhile, Maszlee expressed his thoughts on Facebook, stating his win as a significant responsibility that he intends to fulfill with dedication. Being the sole winner among PKR's 20 candidates, he emphasized the victory as a testament to the people's trust, which he vowed to honor with humility.

Maszlee extended his gratitude to PKR president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, along with the party leadership, for their unwavering support and guidance during the campaign. He also acknowledged the contributions of the party's media team and digital machinery, highlighting their role in effectively communicating the party's message to the electorate.

In his concluding remarks, Maszlee thanked the voters of Puteri Wangsa for their trust, pledging to represent them diligently in the state assembly.