Agihan kerusi BN-PN mesti ikut realiti semasa, kata pemimpin Umno Kedah

Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin, the Umno Kedah Public Relations Officer, has emphasized that the formula for distributing seats between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) must consider the current political realities and not rely solely on previous election results. He argued that the landscape and sentiment of politics are constantly changing, which makes the decisions from previous elections invalid as the sole basis for determining seat distribution or cooperation forms in Kedah.

Shaiful Hazizy spoke to FMT about the issue of seat distribution between BN and PN in Kedah if understanding from previous PRN elections in Johor and Negeri Sembilan were extended to other states. Earlier reports from FMT mentioned that the biggest challenge in BN-PN relations is in Kedah, a stronghold of PAS, which could raise doubts about the feasibility of seat distribution because BN lacks DUN or Parliament seats in the state.

An academic from the University of Technology Malaysia (UTM) pointed out this challenge, considering the lack of DUN or Parliament seats for BN in the state that is part of the BN-PN coalition. Shaiful Hazizy also mentioned that Umno Kedah is currently taking a 'wait and see' approach to the possibility of cooperation with PN as there has been no discussion at the national level.

“To date, there has been no discussion and Umno Kedah has not received any instructions from the highest leadership.” However, if directed, Shaiful Hazizy said Umno Kedah would have no problem cooperating in the areas specified. BN and PN previously collaborated in the Negeri Sembilan PRN, forming a government after winning 25 out of 36 DUN seats together.