JEMPOL: Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor warned that the Negri Sembilan election could be Bersatu’s last if the party continues attacking its allies instead of sincerely embracing cooperation between Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional.
Sanusi, who is PAS election director, said Bersatu would struggle to remain politically relevant if it refused to unite with the broader opposition bloc and continued criticising PAS during the campaign.
“If this attitude continues, this will be their last election. After this, they will disappear from the country’s political landscape,” he said during a campaign ceramah in Serting, here on Thursday (July 24).
He questioned Bersatu’s strategy of attacking PAS instead of Pakatan Harapan, saying the party had relied heavily on PAS supporters in previous elections.
“If you want to win an election as the opposition, you need votes from the opposition. Why attack PAS instead of Pakatan?” he said.
Sanusi urged Bersatu leaders to set aside their egos and sincerely support the Barisan-Perikatan cooperation, warning that the party could not survive on its own.
“They need to join this unity so that we can move forward together on one big ship. The waves outside are too strong for you to face alone,” he said.
He also claimed Bersatu had benefited from its past alliance with PAS, saying the party had won parliamentary seats because of PAS’ support.
Sanusi said Bersatu leaders should “wholeheartedly accept” the political cooperation and work together instead of dwelling on past grievances.
“Be sincere, have a big heart, accept this unity and share what we have. Come together with Perikatan and Barisan in this Negri Sembilan election,” he said.
The Barisan-Perikatan cooperation has become a key feature of the Negri Sembilan campaign, with leaders from both coalitions urging their respective supporters to back one another’s candidates despite contesting under separate banners.
The arrangement follows an electoral understanding in which the two sides avoid multi-cornered contests in most seats in an effort to consolidate opposition votes against the Pakatan Harapan-led state government.
