SUNGAI BULOH, Sept 4 — An Umno Supreme Council member today dismissed Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s remark that the opposition could potentially snatch 45 of Barisan Nasional’s (BN) seats in the upcoming elections.

Selangor Umno chief Tan Sri Noh Omar added that Muhyiddin’s prediction was merely a "theory”, and not based on facts.

"Everyone can say something like that, even I can say that ‘We will win two-thirds majority.’ This is politics nothing impossible.

"It’s more of a theory so if he wants to say that, then everyone can say it too. So we must be practical. He can say whatever he wants but if he becomes the government he must abide by the facts,” he said to reporters after attending the Umno Subang division meeting at the Bukit Rahman Putra Golf Club today.

He was responding to Muhyiddin, who is now the pro-tem president of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, reportedly saying yesterday to news portal Malaysiakini that the opposition need only a 4 per cent sway in opinion to be able to snatch 45 seats form the ruling party.

The former deputy prime minister quoted "experts” as his source but the report did not mention if Muhyiddin had provided further details of the simulation to substantiate his assertion.

Deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who officiated today’s division meeting, also expressed confidence in BN’s reclaiming Selangor, which is currently run by the opposition.

"I see winds of change here, there is support for BN. It isn’t impossible for us to snatch Selangor back for BN.

"I’ve spoken to Tan Sri Noh Omar about what needs to be done,” he said when officiating the meeting.

Muhyiddin was expelled from Umno earlier this year after his open criticism against the leadership of party president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, and set up Pribumi with former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.