Electoral reform group Projek Sama, and Johor PKR said the plan would allow unelected representatives to vote on state matters and weaken the roles of those chosen by voters.
Projek Sama, in particular, said the five seats would become “bonus seats” for the government, instead of making the state assembly more representative.
It said the Johor government already has a two-thirds majority with 40 of the 56 seats in the state assembly. With five appointed assemblymen, this could rise to 45 out of 61 seats, or 74%.
“Having five cheerleaders for the government is not only a waste of taxpayers’ money, but also dilutes the voices of elected members and weakens legislative scrutiny of the executive,” it said in a statement.
The group urged the state government to withdraw the bill, and called on backbenchers and opposition assemblymen to reject it if the state insists on pushing it through.
Projek Sama said the five additional seats, if created, should be allocated between parties according to their vote shares, and used to bring more women into the assembly.
Based on the 2022 Johor election results, it said, BN should get three of the five seats, while PH and PN should get one each.
It said while Johor would become the fourth state to have appointed assemblymen, after Sabah, Terengganu and Pahang, it should not implement a model that merely gives the government extra seats.
Johor PKR said the proposal was brought forward without sufficient consultation, and urged the state government to postpone the amendment for wider talks with assemblymen, constitutional experts, and civil society.
“From a political and governance perspective, the proposal raises a basic question about the principle of democratic representation.
“All changes to the state assembly’s composition need to be done responsibly and in view of the long-term implications on the balance of power and integrity of the legislative institution,” Johor PKR chief Dr Zaliha Mustafa said in a Facebook post.
She also said the lack of clear rules on qualifications and roles could create the perception that the appointments are not merit-based.