KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has hinted that Barisan Nasional will be getting more seats for the six state elections, a figure which he described as “more than the last general election”.
The Barisan chairman and Umno president, however, did not elaborate on the matter, saying that discussions on seat distribution would be finalised by the end of this month.
“We will get seats that should be more than what we had during the last general election,” he said during his winding up speech at the end of the Umno general assembly yesterday.
At a press conference later, Ahmad Zahid said steps had been taken to strengthen Umno at all levels in anticipation of the state polls.
He wants the party machinery to switch on their election mode and gear up for the state polls
“This includes holding retreats at division level in the six states which will be having polls,” he added.
Ahmad Zahid explained that negotiation on seats and election cooperation would not be among individual parties, but between the coalitions representing them, namely Barisan and Pakatan Harapan.
Six states, namely Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Penang, Selangor and Negri Sembilan, are expected to hold their respective state polls in the coming weeks.
The elections will be the first electoral outing where Barisan and Pakatan are cooperating.
The two coalitions are now partners in the government, following the formation of the unity government post-GE15.
The Negri Sembilan state assembly will automatically dissolve on July 2 while Penang will dissolve on June 28.
The four remaining states have yet to announce the dissolution of their respective state assemblies.
