I turned down Wawasan twice, says NS Bersatu chief

Negeri Sembilan Bersatu leader Hanifah Abu Baker has clarified that he met with Wawasan leaders prior to the recent state election, but declined their invitation to join the party. When questioned about his interactions with Wawasan, Hanifah revealed that he was initially contacted by Bersatu leadership several days before the election's nomination date.

He was presented with the chance to contest using the Perikatan Nasional logo during the first meeting. A subsequent meeting with Wawasan took place after the Negeri Sembilan elections. Despite accepting the offers, Hanifah asserted that he believes Bersatu is still on the right path in advocating for religion, race, and national interests, and he has faith in the leadership of Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

He informed FMT of his meetings with Wawasan leadership, noting that several senior Bersatu officials were aware of these encounters. Hanifah had been Bersatu's candidate for Labu in the Negeri Sembilan state election, but lost to Barisan Nasional's Siti Nur Umaira Hasim, who secured 14,209 votes compared to Hanifah's 1,985. He had previously held the seat since 2023, when he won it with a 1,640-vote majority.