Muhyiddin hopes Malacca clash won't 'create issues' for BN-PN federal ties

 

MALACCA POLLS | Muhyiddin Yassin today expressed hope that the ongoing state election which sees Perikatan Nasional (PN) facing off with BN will not create any issue between them in their cooperation at the federal level.

"The federal government we formed is a coalition of many parties which is a bit unusual, but I think this is for the sake of the nation. This is being done to ensure some stability.

"I think this is okay as far as the federal government is concerned. So hopefully, it will not in a way create any issue. Hopefully, the prime minister (Ismail Sabri Yaakob) will work well with the rest of the cabinet members from BN or PN," he said.

"However, the decision had been made that the respective coalitions (BN and PN) to go on their own. We have to respect that," he told a press conference in Shah Alam after launching PN's manifesto for the Malacca polls.

Muhyiddin was asked if BN and PN facing off with each other in all 28 state seats in the state election will affect their relationship at the federal level.

Earlier today, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang questioned if Bersatu will continue to support Ismail Sabri as the prime minister if the Umno splinter party is wiped out in the Malacca state election.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob

Bersatu is contesting 15 seats, of which 12 are against Umno. PAS is contesting eight seats under the PN ticket while the remaining five seats will be contested by Gerakan.

Umno is contesting in 20 seats, while MCA seven and MIC one.

Campaigning for the state polls started on Nov 8. Malaccans will cast their votes on Nov 20.

No decision on signing SD

Meanwhile, Muhyiddin said there was no decision by PN to have its candidates sign a statutory declaration (SD) to prevent them from leaving the coalition after winning the state polls.

This was because the coalition has faith in its candidates and know their personalities, he added.

"As of today, we have yet to come up with a plan to have them sign any SD. We believe that they are loyal to what has been decided by the party," Muhyiddin said.

PN's counterpart in BN made it compulsory for its candidate to sign SD before entering the state battlefield. - Mkini