No guarantee state election wins will translate to GE16 victory, says Zahid

BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi cautioned that state election wins may not guarantee success in the general election. At a BN forum, Zahid urged the coalition not to rest on its laurels after taking Johor and Negeri Sembilan. He emphasized that voters may change their choices based on factors like candidates, government performance, local issues, economic conditions, and parties' ability to solve their problems.

Zahid noted a shift among younger voters, who had previously not backed the BN, but have returned to the party. However, he expressed doubt about the youth vote remaining loyal to a single party in the future. He applied this caution to Malay voters as well, stating that they may give BN another chance but could withdraw trust if the party fails or becomes complacent.

The same caution applies to Chinese and Indian voters, Zahid said, warning BN not to assume they have abandoned Pakatan Harapan and returned to the coalition in large numbers. Zahid cautioned that BN's task after its victories in Johor and Negeri Sembilan is not merely to maintain momentum but to understand this new reality, which could help the coalition avoid past mistakes when the bigger contest arrives.