BN perlu dapatkan sokongan Melayu sebelum gerak solo, kata badan pemikir

Barisan Nasional (BN) must secure Malay support before considering moving solo or cooperating with a coalition of opposition parties, according to Hisommudin Bakar, the Executive Director of the Ilham Centre. Bakar emphasized the challenge BN faces in attracting young Malay voters, who historically have provided strong support to the People's Justice Party (PN).

He stated that if BN cannot determine whether Malay voters will once again support them, they have no choice but to relinquish the contested seats to PN. The chief also suggested that BN should assess its strengths at the parliamentary and state levels, including Malay support in each electoral district. The PRN in Negeri Sembilan, which saw both BN and PN win 18 and seven seats respectively, achieved a majority for the first time, marking the first success for the BN-PN collaboration.

Both blocs requested supporters to vote for candidates from the bloc. Bakar pointed out that Pakatan Harapan (PH), BN's coalition partner in the federal government, is a liability amidst the growing Malay-Muslim sentiment. He noted that working with PH allowed BN to secure support from a different segment of voters, while PH attracted non-Malay voters.

The main challenge for both coalitions, he added, is ensuring their supporters vote for candidates from their own bloc.