BN leaders are signalling bold ambitions to reclaim Perlis, Kedah, and Terengganu from PN in the upcoming general election, banking on voter dissatisfaction with the current state governments.
UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan expressed confidence that BN, working closely with PH, can topple PAS-led administrations in these states.
“We lost before, but it’s not impossible for us to win them back,” he said, highlighting that many voters remain undecided and could swing towards BN-PH if effectively courted.
“This means half the population supports us, and the others are in the middle, so these observers or undecided voters will play an important role,” he added.
BN chairman and UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi echoed similar sentiments, saying that the coalition will conduct detailed studies to identify winnable seats, particularly those now held by Bersatu and PAS.
“We will work hard to ensure that these seats are recaptured by candidates from Umno in GE16,” he said at the closing of the Sri Gading UMNO delegates’ meeting yesterday.
He urged members not to fall for opposition propaganda attempting to fracture the unity government, stressing that cooperation with PH is crucial to ensuring political stability and UMNO’s return to dominance.
However, UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani issued a note of caution. He warned that nearly 40 per cent of voters are now youth who care more about future policies, environmental issues, and leadership integrity than Umno’s historic nation-building legacy.
“They assess leaders’ commitment to future issues, including environmental matters and the integrity of the leadership,” he said, suggesting Umno must adopt fresh strategies to win their trust.
Adding to BN’s potential woes are claims that the MCA and MIC could quit the coalition, weakening its multi-ethnic appeal ahead of GE16. —July 6, 2025
Main image: Malay Mail
