As Johor heads to the polls on July 11, 2026, it is worth clarifying a distinction that surveys show many Malaysians find confusing: the difference between an ADUN and an MP. The Johor state election fills only one of these two roles.
An ADUN — Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri, or state assemblyman — represents a state constituency in the State Legislative Assembly, known in Malay as the Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN). ADUNs are elected at a state election (Pilihan Raya Negeri) and deal with state-level matters. A Member of Parliament (MP), by contrast, sits in the federal Dewan Rakyat in Kuala Lumpur, is elected at a general election (Pilihan Raya Umum), and handles national issues. They are two separate tiers of government, chosen on two different ballots.
The Johor State Legislative Assembly has 56 elected ADUN seats. The assembly enacts state laws on matters within state jurisdiction — including land and natural resources, Islamic and religious affairs, local public facilities, social welfare, youth and sports, and state administration. Matters such as defence, foreign affairs and national economic policy remain with the federal Parliament.
The leader of the state government is the Menteri Besar, the equivalent of a chief minister, a title used in the nine Malaysian states that have a hereditary Malay Ruler — Johor among them. The Menteri Besar is the assembly member who commands a majority in the DUN and is formally appointed by the Sultan.
To form the Johor state government, a coalition needs a simple majority of at least 29 of the 56 seats. Before the assembly was dissolved on June 1, 2026, Barisan Nasional held 40 of those seats.
Understanding this distinction matters: on July 11, Johor voters are choosing their state representatives and, by extension, the next Menteri Besar — not their federal MPs, whose terms continue separately.
