BN must win all seats entrusted in state polls - Ahmad Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional (BN) needs to win all seats allocated to the coalition for the coming elections in six states.

UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the state polls should be the platform to revive BN after losing in the 14th and 15th general elections.

"The reality of local politics now is that we are now part of the Unity Government, we admit we are not dominant...(so) it is meaningless for us to feel strong but the results are lacking.

"We have failed twice...We should be aware our votes in the general election was around 23 per cent and the seats garnered were also around 11 per cent...so we have to rise up again," he said. Ahmad Zahid who is also BN chairman told reporters after attending the Anugerah Skuad Sayang 3K in conjunction with the UMNO General Assembly at World Trade Centre (WTC) here today which was also attended by UMNO deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

Ahmad Zahid said the time has come for BN to rise again and move forward by finding common grounds and the party should correct the weaknesses of its predecessors who were too focused on differences.

"We have to look at the commonality between BN and PH (Pakatan Harapan), such as the Malay agenda, Islamic agenda, Rulers and the Malay language which they (PH) have not touched on, in fact PH also respects them, as they are also in the UMNO Constitution, so the matters must be defended.

"So I don't see any problem, on talks that we are pawning our dignity and so on.... (in fact) we are often connoted to work with DAP, the fact is we have MCA and MIC in BN," he said.

He added that PAS itself had cooperated or 'mutaah' with DAP several times, but currently BN is being accused of pawning Islam and the Malay religion.

The six states that will face election this year are Selangor, Penang, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.

-- BERNAMA