Don’t listen to rumours aimed at frightening non-Malays, says Tok Mat

 The Negeri Sembilan BN chairman says BN cannot control such rumours or respond to every allegation on social media, such as those about a purported Umno-PAS merger.

Negeri Sembilan BN chairman Mohamad Hasan said the BN-PN cooperation was forged following BN’s defeat in several Malay-majority seats in previous elections due to clashes between Malay-based parties. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Negeri Sembilan Barisan Nasional chairman Mohamad Hasan has urged voters not to listen to rumours on social media aimed at frightening non-Malay voters in the state.

Mohamad, who is also Umno deputy president, said BN cannot control these rumours, nor can it respond to every allegation on social media.

“There are many stories aimed at scaring non-Malays by claiming that Umno will merge with PAS, and that the country will therefore become a Taliban state,” he was quoted by Berita Harian as saying at an event in Rembau today.

Mohamad said the current understanding between BN and Perikatan Nasional was only for the Negeri Sembilan state election. “We will take this step by step, look at the results, and repeat (the cooperation) in Melaka if the results are good,” he said.

BN’s electoral alliance with PAS was forged following losses in several Malay-majority seats at the 2023 election due to clashes between Malay-based parties.

BN, which had been in power in Negeri Sembilan since independence, lost power in 2018, when Pakatan Harapan won 20 seats to BN’s 16. The two coalitions formed an electoral alliance for the 2023 election, with PH winning 17 seats, BN 14 and PN 5.

Negeri Sembilan goes to the polls on Aug 1. BN is contesting 25 seats, while PN is contesting 11. They will face off against Pakatan Harapan in all 36 seats. - FMT