In an eleventh-hour change to the Barisan Nasional line-up in Johor, Abdul Ghani Othman will defend his Serom state seat - and thus likely to retain his menteri besar post - instead of being moved to the federal level.

According to news reports, the change was done upon a request from the Johor palace. Abdul Ghani was initially slated to contest the Ledang parliamentary seat.

Following the latest development, The Star quoting sources said Hamim Samsuri, who was supposed to be fielded in Serom, will now contest in Ledang instead.

Khaled moves

Meanwhile, the man who was tipped to be the next menteri besar, Khaled Nordin, will now contest the Pasir Gudang parliamentary seat.

Khaled, who is also deputy works minister, was initially chosen to contest the Tiram state seat.

Abdul Ghani was appointed menteri besar in the southern state after the 1999 general election, which saw the ruling front clinching a resounding victory with the opposition failing to win a single seat.

This time around there are 56 state and 26 parliamentary seats up for grabs in the traditional BN stronghold.

Royal politics

It is believed that a number of the sultans have stepped in to stop their respective mentri besars - Pahang's Adnan Yaakob, Selangor's Dr Mohd Khir Toyo and Perlis' Shahidan Kassim - from being bumped out.

However, this was denied by the mentri besars. Contrary to earlier speculation, all the three mentri besars are defending their state seats.

The Yang Di-Pertuan Agong's youngest brother, Syed Razlan Jamalullail from the Perlis royal family, has also been enlisted to contest on behalf of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition in the Arau parliamentary seat against PAS top gun Harun Din, a well-known religious leader.