MELAKA: Barisan Nasional will hold separate talks with two political groups next week as it considers possible electoral alliances for the upcoming Melaka polls, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Barisan chairman confirmed that the meetings had been arranged by the coalition’s headquarters but declined to identify the parties involved.
Asked whether the meetings would involve Perikatan Nasional or PAS, the Deputy Prime Minister said the two unnamed groups would be engaged separately.
“Headquarters has arranged two separate meetings next week, involving two different groups.
"They will be held on different dates and at different times,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Umno president, said this while opening the national discourse, Unravelling the Malay Peninsula Polemic, at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) in Ayer Keroh here on Saturday (Sept 26).
Asked which group was most likely to cooperate with Barisan, he said the coalition had yet to make a decision and would carefully evaluate the benefits and risks of each option.
“The matter will be studied in detail, and we must weigh the potential drawbacks against the benefits.
"As a political coalition, Barisan must consider the medium and long-term benefits to the country, particularly to the parties within our coalition,” he said.
When asked whether Barisan could negotiate directly with PAS following the issue concerning Perikatan’s registration with the Registrar of Societies, Ahmad Zahid said he would leave the matter to the Umno secretary-general and Perikatan chairman.
“I will leave it to the secretary-general and the Perikatan chairman to decide.
“However, we would be more comfortable if an individual party is stable rather than dealing with a coalition that has fallen apart,” he added.
