GERIK, Sept 3 — Claims by former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin that the opposition can win 45 parliamentary seats belonging to the Barisan Nasional with just a small swing of voters is not accurate, said Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan.

He said instead it was likely that the votes of fence sitters would be split following the collapse of the opposition pact.

In fact, he said that when Muhyiddin was BN election director, the former Umno deputy president had stated that the BN would have no problems wresting several seats from the opposition.

"I wish to remind that his new party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) will not have any impact on Umno and instead will further dilute opposition votes.

"If this happens, it will be advantageous to Umno and I am confident that Umno members will not support Muhyiddin,” he said when opening the Gerik Umno division’s delegates meeting in Penkalan Hulu near here today.

Muhyiddin, at a function in Selangor yesterday, had claimed that 67 BN seats (parliamentary) were "grey” and that just a four per cent swing in votes in the opposition’s favour would cause it to lose 45 seats.

In Sungai Petani, Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob when opening Merbuk Umno delegates meeting said negative remarks hurled by former Umno leaders who had now joined the opposition should be viewed as a challenge to "bury them” in the coming general election.

The rural and regional development minister said the remarks by Muhyiddin should not go unchallenged and that Umno members must show that any swing would be in favour of the BN.

In Pekan, Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob in his speech at Pekan Umno’s delegates meeting called on Umno members to step up recruitment of new members to increase the BN’s voter pool  for the coming general election.

The meeting was opened by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also Umno president and Pekan MP. — Bernama