‘BN CONSENSUS VITAL FOR GE14’
Issues regarding seat allocations will not be resolved unilaterally, says Umno info chief
SEAT allocations for Barisan Nasional in the 14th General Election will be determined through consensus among its component parties.
Umno information chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa said this was decided during the Umno Supreme Council meeting, chaired by Prime Minister and party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
“We give the president flexibility because this can be tackled through many ways. Traditionally, we will do it based on BN consensus. We don’t resolve such conflicts unilaterally,” he said here yesterday.
Annuar said any component party leaders were free to voice their thoughts, but it was more important to resolve issues in the spirit of the “BN brotherhood”.
He said it would not resolve issues by speaking publicly.
“But we understand that sometimes they (party leaders) give their comments when asked by the press or based on personal opinion.
“The prime minister as BN chairman is in complete control, unlike the opposition where all leaders are the same. Although (Pakatan Harapan chairman) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad tries to veto some things, the opposition cannot resolve its problems.”
Annuar, however, said it was important for component parties to realise that they should elect candidates who could deliver.
Taking heed of the 2013 election results, he said there was “no point” defending quotas and party rights if the candidate lost.
“There were parties that were given many seats but failed to win, so what’s the purpose? You might as well take fewer seats, spend less, but win more.
“If you are given 50 seats and only win 10, it is better to only take 20 seats, and give the chance to other winnable candidates. We want a BN candidate who has the best chance to defeat the opposition.”
Deputy Prime Minister and BN deputy chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had previously said that BN would field candidates who were favoured and wanted by the people.
He had said based on a study, 85 per cent of the winning factor was based on the candidate, adding that the chosen candidate must be well-liked by the people and not the party leadership.