No backup plan in place if Barisan rejects PBM's application to join, says Zuraida

KULAI: Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) is concentrating on strengthening the party and will only think of a back-up plan after Barisan Nasional makes a decision on its application to join the coalition, says Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin.

The PBM president-designate said they would wait for an official decision from Barisan.

"We will wait and when the time comes, we will make a decision if need be.

"We will cross the bridge when we get to it. It is too soon to think about that now. We should be focusing on strengthening the party," she said.

Speaking to newsmen in Felda Inas Utara here on Friday (Sept 9), the Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister also said PBM wants to contest 14 seats – seven parliamentary and seven state seats.

"We have started our preparations and visited the seats we are focusing on.

"We are focusing mostly on seats where we have incumbent assemblymen and MPs," she said.

Last month, Zuraida said PBM had submitted its application to join Barisan.

Umno Youth chief Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki later revealed that at least seven political parties, including PBM, had applied to join Barisan ahead of the upcoming general election.