PULAI – Although confident that Barisan Nasional (BN) will win the most seats, its Pulai candidate Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said the coalition will need to partner with others to achieve a simple majority so a government can be formed.
He said any parties with less than a simple majority still have a chance to form a government as part of a new post-election coalition.
“A hung Parliament only occurs when no parties are willing to talk to each other (to form a government).”
He said this last night when asked to comment on a possibility of a hung government post-GE15, as analysts predicted that no single coalition can form a federal government on its own.
Nur Jazlan, a former deputy defence minister, remains optimistic that BN will have the most seats, saying that this is based on the current public sentiment.
“I am confident that BN can win a substantial number of seats so we can talk to other coalitions to get the 112 seats (simple majority).
“I’m not sure what form of partnerships there will be, but BN will be the one with the most seats.”
He also rubbished talk of BN replacing its prime minister candidate Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob with coalition chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Nur Jazlan said Ismail Sabri remains the coalition’s pick for the prime minister’s post.
“That statement (a vote for BN is a vote for Zahid as prime minister) is wrong. Because he (Ismail Sabri) is our prime minister (candidate).”
He said the only factor that would change BN’s pick would be the coalition’s performance come polling day on Saturday.
“People are talking about whether we win 60, 70 or 80 seats, right?
“If we win more than that, Ismail Sabri will be confirmed as our prime minister. Let’s say we win less, then it depends on negotiations with possible coalition partners.”
Nur Jazlan was met by The Vibes during a town hall session with youth voters here organised by Johor Youth Council last night.
The former three-term Pulai MP is looking to win back the seat he lost to Amanah’s Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub in the 2018 general election.
Nur Jazlan will be up against Salahuddin, and Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) candidate Loh Kah Yong.
In 2018, Salahuddin emerged as the winner with a 28,924-vote majority, beating Nur Jazlan and independent candidate Yap Keng Tak. – The Vibes, November 16, 2022
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