Che Zakaria Mohd Salleh

Che Zakaria was nominated by BERSATU, then a component party of the PH opposition coalition to contest the Permas state seat in the 2018 Johor state election by challenging Mohamed Khaled Nordin, then Menteri Besar of Johor and Permas MLA. He defeated Khaled Nordin and replaced him as the new Permas MLA, the victory by Che Zakaria is considered one of the biggest surprises in the election as a Menteri Besar, the head of state government of Johor and highest-ranking politician in Johor is usually hard to be defeated in any elections given that Menteri Besar usually has higher popularity than the challenger.

However, Che Zakaria was neither renominated by BERSATU, then a component party of PN after it left PH in February 2020, nor by any other political parties or coalitions, to contest in the 2022 Johor state election. His seat was then won by another candidate namely Baharudin Mohamed Taib from the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a component party of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition and Che Zakaria handed over the position of Permas MLA to the winner Baharudin.

On 23 July 2022, Che Zakaria announced his departure from BERSATU and joining of AMANAH. He cited the difficulties to serve the people as a BERSATU member. He also hinted that two other BERSATU former Johor MLAs, including a former member of the Johor State Executive Council (EXCO) were also expected to do the same as him. AMANAH deputy president Salahuddin Ayub noted that Che Zakaria did so willingly, sincerely and timely without any other motives and expectations other than agreeing with the principles and ideologies of AMANAH as he did not do so before the nomination day of the 2022 Johor state election on 26 February 2022 merely to secure a nomination from AMANAH to attempt to carry on his political career as an MLA after he was denied a nomination by his former party BERSATU. Salahuddin also revealed that the role Che Zakaria would play in Johor AMANAH was going to be refined not long after.[2]