OK so Johor election 2026 is officially ON lah.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim himself — not a deputy, not a party spokesperson, the PM himself — posted on Instagram saying he's flying to Bukit Gambir, Johor, tonight to announce the full Pakatan Harapan candidate list for PRN Johor Ke-16.

The event? Majlis Pengumuman Calon Pakatan Harapan. The time? 8pm. The place? Padang Bukit Gambir Extreme Park. The vibe? Very, very official.

For those who haven't been following closely: Johor's 16th State Election (PRN Ke-16) is happening on July 11. That's less than three weeks away. Tonight's announcement is basically PH saying "here are our players, let's go."

The PM's Instagram caption was properly heartfelt too — he talked about Johor deserving leadership with integrity, capability and hard work, and called on everyone to come together and take the first step toward victory. The hashtags were #PakatanHarapan and #MemaknaiHARAPANRakyat, which roughly means "giving meaning to the people's hope."

Now, why is Anwar going himself? Because Johor is important lah. It's not just any state — it's Malaysia's gateway to Singapore, home to the Iskandar development zone, and a place where the political battle between PH, BN and PN is genuinely competitive. You don't send the PM unless you're taking it seriously.

Also, the event is in Bukit Gambir, which falls under the Pagoh constituency. That's basically a stronghold area for the rival bloc. PH going there to launch is basically them saying: we're not just defending safe seats, we're going after everything.

So yes, the Johor election is very much happening. And it starts properly tonight at 8pm at Padang Bukit Gambir Extreme Park.

Newslah will keep you updated as the full candidate list drops. Watch this space.