IPOH: Barisan Nasional expects a landslide victory to retain the vacant Ayer Kuning state assembly seat.
"In the (2022) General Election, we had about 9,000 votes while Pakatan Harapan had over 6,000 votes, so there's a base of 15,000 votes," said Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad in a press conference after attending the Meet the Consumer Day at Stadium Indera Mulia here on Monday (Feb 24).
"However, we will not take matters lightly and will still work hard to get votes.
"There will be new voters since 2023, and we don't know them yet," he said, adding that he expects a straight fight with Perikatan Nasional.
He also said that based on their experience in the 2023 Mahkota by-election, Barisan and Pakatan's collaboration was very successful.
"Barisan will find their voters, and Pakatan will find theirs," he added.
Ayer Kuning's by-election is expected to be called after its assemblyman, Ishsam Shahruddin, 58, passed away in Penang on Saturday (Feb 22).
The first-term state representative collapsed while participating in a friendly football championship in George Town and died at the Penang Hospital at 6.28pm.
In the 2022 General Election, Ishsam polled 9,088 votes and won by a 2,213 majority, defeating Amanah's Mohd Nazri Hashim, Muhammad Noor Farid of PAS, KS Bawani from PSM, and Pejuang's Maziah Salim.
On the decision by Amanah not to contest the by-election, Saarani said an understanding had been struck between the unity government component parties that they would support the party that last won the respective seats.
"Like the Pulai (parliamentary) by-election, which was won by Amanah, we supported their candidate.
"It was the same for the Pelangai and Kuala Kubu Baru (state seats) by-elections," he said.
Earlier, Perak Amanah chairman Datuk Asmuni Awi said in a statement that the party would not contest the Ayer Kuning by-election but would instead support the candidate Barisan Nasional chose.
Asmuni added that this was to strengthen and ensure a stable, united state government by backing Barisan to represent the unity government.
