GEORGE TOWN: Any proposal for the "Perikatan Barisan Nasional" name should be discussed in a formal manner, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Barisan Nasional chairman said the proposal for the BN-PN electoral pact for Negri Sembilan to be called Perikatan Barisan Nasional (PBN) was only mentioned in a speech.
"The speech was made during the campaign. There has been no discussion on the matter.
"If the proposal is serious, then discussions should be held and it should be formalised," he added.
Ahmad Zahid was responding to a question on the proposed PBN name during a press conference after the 61st Meeting between the Rural and Regional Development Minister with Rural Exco-Exco (Mexclub) at Bahang Bay Hotel in Penang on Thursday (July 23).
He said if it is merely campaign rhetoric, then he said the proposal should be properly detailed.
It was reported on Wednesday (July 22) that Parti Wawasan Negara president Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin proposed that the BN-PN electoral pact for Negri Sembilan be called Perikatan Barisan Nasional.
The Parti Wawasan Negara president said the name was proposed to prevent confusion among the people.
He said PN-BN could be a mouthful for some people, while PBN is concise and easier for voters to understand.
“We want to give it a name so that people are not confused.
"Here in Negri Sembilan, many people found it difficult to say PN-BN, so we'll just use PBN," he said.
The Negri Sembilan state election will take place on Aug 1 while early voting is on July 28.
Barisan will field 25 candidates, while Perikatan will field 11 and Pakatan Harapan to contest all 36 seats.
Bersatu will stand in 24 constituencies under its own logo.
