KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 — Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) should work out a nationwide seat allocation formula and be prepared to make concessions if their electoral cooperation is to last, Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said in an interview with news outlet Free Malaysia Today.

The Parti Wawasan president said the two coalitions could not limit negotiations to the coming Melaka election or simply insist on defending seats they currently hold.

“If we want to cooperate, it cannot be a matter of pick and choose,” he said in the interview published today.

Parti Wawasan is a component of PN, having been admitted into the coalition in June with the backing of PAS.

Hamzah said the approach should instead take into account the strengths and weaknesses of both coalitions across the country, with incumbency used as a starting point but improved through a more flexible formula.

He said this was necessary to ensure the arrangement gave confidence to BN and PN leaders and supporters nationwide, rather than benefiting only certain parties or states.

“If we only look at where we stand today (seats currently held by each coalition), of course we would want to defend it so that no one else can take over,” he said.

“But if we look at the bigger goal, we need to sit down, compromise and make concessions,” he added.

Hamzah said BN and PN should also consider states where Umno currently holds no state seats if they intend to extend their cooperation nationwide.

His remarks come after BN and PN worked together in the August 1 Negeri Sembilan election, winning 25 of the state’s 36 seats.

The latest push for broader cooperation comes as the Melaka state election is expected to be called before the state assembly’s term expires at the end of December.

Hamzah said the two coalitions had previously been part of the same federal governments under Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, but those arrangements were not based on advance planning.

He said future cooperation should instead begin with a common agenda and clearly defined roles, including a shared goal of developing the country and benefiting Malaysians.