MELAKA, Oct 18 — The crisis in Negeri Sembilan is not expected to affect Barisan Nasional’s (BN) preparations for the Melaka state election next month, Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said.
He said the key was to ensure that strategies drawn up by the party leadership were effectively implemented by its election machinery to secure victory, adding that good strategies not implemented will also cause plans to fail.
“We can draw up an excellent strategy that looks very good on paper, with many voters identified or categorised as BN’s fixed supporters. But if we fail to get them to turn out to vote, it means nothing.
“Their votes will not be cast,” he told reporters after officiating at the closing ceremony of the 10th National Conference of Persatuan Solidariti Nasional (PerSoNa).
Mohamad, who is also Foreign Minister, stressed the importance of translating the party’s plans into action on the ground to ensure that identified supporters actually cast their ballots.
The Election Commission (EC) has set November 14 for polling, with nomination on October 31 and early voting on November 10.
In the 2021 state election, BN won 21 of the 28 seats to form the state government, while Pakatan Harapan (PH) secured five seats and Perikatan Nasional (PN) won two. — Bernama