KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 — Whether or not Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional can stave off Perikatan Nasional's challenge at the six state polls that must be held next year will hinge on how well the federal unity government perform in the meantime, The Star reported Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun as saying.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also PH chairman, now leads a coalition government that includes rivals Barisan Nasional. Some of its top leaders have either been charged or are on trial for corruption, which has solicited criticism from supporters who elected PH in hopes that it would weed out graft.
Aminuddin, a PKR vice-president, said the federal government will have about six months to convince swing voters to accept the political alignment.
"The coming months are crucial as we must be able to serve the people really well and understand what they want," he was quoted as saying.
"And if we are successful in doing that, I am sure more voters, especially the fence-sitters, will vote for us."
The six states that need to hold their polls by September next year are Pakatan-held Selangor, Penang and Negri Sembilan and Perikatan Nasional-controlled Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah.
Anwar's unity government comprises PH, BN, MPs from Gabungan Parti Sarawak, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and Parti Warisan Sabah.
Aminuddin told reporters in Seremban yesterday PH was confident of retaining its 20 seats in the coming Negri Sembilan polls. He said it would do even better if its cooperation with BN at the state level could be finalised by then.
"We have yet to start formal talks with Barisan in Negri. If we are agreeable (on seat distribution and cooperation), then I am confident we will do even better,” he was quoted as saying.
