Najib’s bloc secures poll victory
KUALA LUMPUR: The alliance which former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak once led secured victory at the first by-election since the country was plunged into turmoil in February.
The Barisan Nasional candidate received 13,872 votes at the Chini polls to win a seat in the state assembly of Pahang. That’s 10 times more than the other two, including one backed by Mahathir Mohamad, who ousted Mr Najib two years ago but stepped down as premier earlier this year.
The victory is rejuvenating the political alliance that went from ruling Malaysia for more than half a century to being on the sidelines and then back in government in just 22 months. Barisan Nasional is again part of the ruling coalition when it backed Muhyiddin Yassin to succeed Dr Mahathir as premier.
“I’m convinced that these by-elections clearly provide evidence that BN is not only still relevant but also has a bright future,” Barisan Nasional Chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said on Saturday.
The victory doesn’t change the composition of the national parliament, but Barisan Nasional’s popularity could signal potential cracks in its support for the government of Muhyiddin and give it room to demand to be a bigger player in his administration.
It remains unclear how much of a majority Mr Muhyiddin commands. That’s set to be put to the test as the opposition coalition plans to launch a no-confidence motion against him when parliament sits on July 13, while lawmakers from both sides have said they are preparing for snap polls to solve the impasse.
Chini is located in Mr Najib’s constituency of Pekan. The former leader was allowed to campaign in the by-election and can attend parliament after a judge agreed to delay his trial for corruption charges.