Ku Nan to have a 'chat' with Khairy over his 'Najib's position at threat if BN loses K Besut' remark

It looks like newly-minted Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin will have some explaining to do.

Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan plans to have a chat with the Youth chief after he was reported as saying that Prime Minister Najib Razak's position as the country's leader as well as position as Umno president would be threatened if the BN coalition lost in the Kuala Besut by-election.

"No... Kuala Besut for us, we will win as far as I am concerned because the last time we won with a majority of 2,400. I don't know whether or what KJ said or whether you people have twisted it around but I will definitely have a chat with him but I don't think he said what you said because you people may have twisted it," Tengku Adnan told reporters when door-stopped at Parliament House on Thursday.

'A wave not blue would reach Parliament'

In Kuala Besut on Wednesday to help his party campaign for a by-election due to be balloted on July 24, Khairy was reported to have said that if BN loses to PAS, the situation would be uncertain and that a state election may have to be called to resolve the ‘hung’ state assembly that would result.

"If we lose and if there is a Terengganu state election, a wave - not blue - but a movement, a jolt, would reach Parliament,” Malaysiakini reported Khairy as saying.

"And we don't want to see BN's position (and) Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's position - the BN chairperson, Umno president - threatened because of what happens (here)”.

Assembly may be dissolved

The Kuala Besut state seat fell vacant after Umno assemblyman Abdul Rahman Mokhtar died last month. He had won the seat with a 2,434-vote majority, polling 8.809 votes over PAS candidate Napisah Ismail, who garnered 6,375.

In the by-election, Umno's Tengku Zaihan will contest against PAS' Endut Azlan Yusof. Currently, BN holds 17 seats in the state assembly and PAS' 15. Should Umno fail to defend the seat, then the state assembly will be split down the line with BN and Pakatan Rakyat tied at 16 seats each.

Such a situation of a 'hung' state assembly would be the first that has ever happened in Malaysia and there is already controversy over who could make the final decision on which coalition would lead the state government - the Speaker or the Sultan.

Chances would be high that to resolve the deadlock, either or both sides might opt to dissolve the assembly and call for new state elections.

Malaysia Chronicle