JELEBU: Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has acknowledged that BN and Perikatan Nasional have yet to achieve full cohesion in their electoral pact in several seats in Negeri Sembilan but said there were “sticking points” that will be resolved before voters go to the polls on Aug 1.
“We need to give them space to work out these issues. I am certain they will be resolved before polling day,” he said after campaigning among the Orang Asli community in Kampung Tohor here today.
Zahid noted that the understanding between BN and PN had only been ongoing for nearly a week, and said it was going well so far. “We still have another seven days to campaign. I am certain that the ‘blue wave’ that swept Johor will reach Negeri Sembilan,” he said.
Zahid was responding to a finding by Ilham Centre chief researcher Yusri Ibrahim that there was some disappointment among Umno’s supporters and campaign machinery over the seat allocation.
BN is contesting 25 of the 36 seats in the Negeri Sembilan state assembly, while PN is contesting 11. They will face off against Pakatan Harapan in all 36 seats.
On PN election director Sanusi Nor’s wish for BN and PN’s cooperation to be extended to Putrajaya, Zahid said he hoped the two coalitions’ understanding would develop organically, which he added required more work.
“We had planned to work together much earlier, but it was delayed. Our previous experiences should guide us to do things better this time,” he said.
