BN-PAS Cooperation Formula Has Potential To Capture Selangor – KJ

SHAH ALAM: The cooperation formula between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pas being tested in the Negeri Sembilan State Election has the potential to be expanded to Selangor if it succeeds in uniting the Malay vote.

Former UMNO Youth Chief, Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar said Selangor has a demographic and voter profile almost similar to Negeri Sembilan, thus opening up the possibility for the formula to be considered in the future.

“However, the outcome of the Negeri Sembilan state election needs to be seen first before any discussion is held by the leadership of both parties,” he said when met after the UMNO Subang Division Wanita, Youth and Puteri Delegates Meeting at the UMNO Selangor Building here on Sunday night.

Khairy Jamaluddin said the cooperation is a good political experiment to test the extent to which the unification of the Malay vote can give an advantage to both parties.

“The issue of electoral strategy is not a matter of struggle; in this matter, we can be flexible.

“We will first see what happens in Negeri Sembilan. If there is sincerity and commitment from both sides, we want to see whether BN supporters can vote for Pas candidates and vice versa,” he said.

He said if the Malay vote is no longer divided, the formula could give the coalition an advantage to capture Selangor.

“If the Malay vote is not split, as I mentioned earlier, we can win Selangor, Insya-Allah,” he said.

Commenting on the BN-Pas cooperation in Negeri Sembilan, Khairy said it is also a signal that there is something amiss in the relationship between the parties within the Unity Government.

However, he stressed that BN does not need to leave the government at this point, as national stability must be prioritised until the next General Election.

When asked about the possibility of a BN ‘poster boy’ candidate for the upcoming Selangor State Election, Khairy Jamaluddin informed that the matter should be discussed by the party leadership at an appropriate time.

“We can discuss it later,” he said.