MIPP holds separate talks with Umno on N Sembilan polls

 

MIPP is holding separate talks with Umno ahead of the Negeri Sembilan state election, rather than moving in tandem with its fellow Perikatan Nasional coalition member, PAS.

MIPP deputy president S Subramaniam said the move is not unusual, noting that the party’s leadership previously received a formal invitation to join BN.

“For now, the talks are only about cooperation for the Negeri Sembilan election,” he told Malaysiakini.

Subramaniam, who is also the PN treasurer-general, stressed that the matter of PAS-BN cooperation in Negeri Sembilan has never been raised in PN’s supreme council.

“PAS’ stance in backing BN in the Johor election, and now in Negeri Sembilan, were positions and decisions made by PAS’ own leadership.

“There’s been no decision there on cooperation between PN and BN... at the PN level, we’re still discussing all available options, including PN contesting all 36 state seats in Negeri Sembilan,” he said.

If talks between Umno and PN components bear fruit, it is expected to give BN a major edge in mounting a push against Pakatan Harapan, similar to the momentum seen in the recently concluded Johor election.

Data showed that the combined BN-PN vote share in the 2023 Negeri Sembilan election would have reached 59.9 percent, compared with a projected 54 percent for the two blocs in the 2022 general election.

MIPP made its electoral debut in the recent Johor state election, contesting five seats - Bukit Permai, Paloh, Kota Iskandar, Pemanis, and Permas - under the PN banner.

However, the party’s candidates lost all their election deposits. - Mkini