Perak BN open to seat swapping, says Zambry
MANJUNG: Perak Barisan Nasional (BN) is open to the swapping of parliamentary and state seats among its component parties for the 14th General Election (GE14).
“Candidates for the seats will be chosen based on studies of facts and data,” said Perak BN chief Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir at the Pemukiman programme in Beruas here yesterday.
“The study is in its third and expected to be the final (process) before the candidates are announced.
“We have no issues with seat swapping or changes as it was also done in the last general election,” he added.
“We have been carrying out discussions with leaders of component parties in the spirit of musyarawah (consultation) to find the right candidates to be presented to the top BN leadership.”
Zambry, who is also the menteri besar, said, “It’s not a matter of a certain (BN component) party winning the seats. What is more important is to make sure that BN wins.”
He declined to reveal details of seats that could be swapped among BN component parties.
Prime Minister and BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak had said seat allocation would be resolved through consensus among component parties.
On a separate matter, Zambry said he would not entertain accusations made by an opposition politician that he had paid for the Brandlaureatte Nation Building Brand Icon Leadership Award that he received recently.
“The organisation has came out with a statement on the matter,” he added.
“Let the opposition, which likes to practise character assassination, answer this.
“I have work to do and would rather serve the people than waste my time answering to slander,” Zambry said.
In a recent statement, BrandLaureatte president Dr K.K. Johan denied Perak Parti Amanah Negara chairman Asmuni Awi’s accusation that Zambry had paid for the award.
Johan said Asmuni’s statement was defamatory and demanded an apology from the politician.
We have been carrying out discussions with leaders of component parties in the spirit of ‘musyarawah’ (consultation) to find the right candidates to be presented to the top BN leadership.