No consensus among opposition an advantage for BN to win by-elections

Often blowing a small matter out of proportion indicates the parties in the opposition are now no longer aligned

with each other, thus giving an advantage to Barisan Nasional (BN) to win the coming two by-elections, said UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Shamsul Anuar Nasarah.

He said PAS's decision to take back seats it loaned to its allies during the 13th General Election also clearly showed the lack of consensus among the opposition.

"After the split (among the opposition), various issues have been raised including about their contested seats. If they blow up disputes over a small thing, what if the opposition faces bigger problems in the future?

"The current situation can be an advantage for us to win the two by-elections and I also believe that people are smart enough to judge," he told reporters after "Jelajah Turun Padang Bantu Rakyat" programme in Pokok Machang, here today.

He was commenting on the statement by PAS Youth chief Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz who said that the party would reclaim the seats that it loaned to DAP and PKR.

Nik Mohd Abduh when addressing the 57th PAS Youth Muktamar (Assembly) yesterday said PAS' experience of having worked together within the opposition pact should be taken as a lesson so that the party was not used by other parties.

READ: 'Loaned' seats? What are you talking about, DAP asks PAS

Shamsul Anuar who is also Lenggong member of Parliament (MP) said the people should be wise in judging the ability of the opposition and not to gamble away their fate to a party which had failed to achieve a consensus among them.

The Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar by-elections are being held following the deaths of Kuala Kangsar MP Datuk Wan Muhammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad and Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister and Sungai Besar MP Datuk Noriah Kasnon in a helicopter crash in Sebuyau, Sarawak on May 6.

The Election Commission fixed polling for both seats on June 18 while the nomination date on June 5.