Liu ramal BN-PN bercerai PRU16 saingan terbuka

Former DAP leader Ronnie Liu has predicted that the collaboration between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) will not endure until the 2016 General Election (PRU16), envisioning a more open competition between political parties. Liu, who officially joined the Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) recently, stated that the initial signs of trouble between BN-PN were evident during the recent discussions leading up to PRN Melaka.

He explained that the shift between BN-PH stemmed from belief that they were strong contenders for more seats, as their main components, Umno and PAS, were competing for the same voter base. In the coming weeks, Liu foresees the collapse of PN and BN, each pursuing their own interests. Consequently, PRU16 will feature a wide-open contest, he said during a media briefing.

BN will remain the main ally of Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the federal government, while PN will form the largest opposition bloc. At a recent PBM media briefing, PBM President Larry Sng forecasted that BN-PN could control seats on the mainland alone to form the central government in PRU16, should their coalition remain intact. PBM could perform better than opposition parties Muda and Bersama, and possibly win several state and parliamentary seats in the upcoming election, Sng stated.

PBM has a stronger foundation compared to smaller parties like Muda and Bersama, he added. The former PKR Sarawak chief emphasized that PBM's support base in Borneo remains intact under his leadership and as the party's sole MP. However, he acknowledged that expanding PBM's presence on the mainland will take time. Sng revealed that PBM has not decided to enter PRN on the mainland, but the party is open to exploring potential alliances or partnerships with other blocs, including in PRU16.

He also predicted that PRU16 will only be held after Malaysia hosts the SEA Games, scheduled from September 18 to 29 next year.