A strong performance by Barisan Nasional (BN) in the Negeri Sembilan state election could pave the way for its cooperation with Perikatan Nasional (PN) to become a model for political collaboration ahead of the 16th General Election (GE16), said former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Ismail said a major victory would demonstrate that efforts by Umno to bring Malay-based parties together under a broader platform had achieved positive results.
He said the “Rumah Bangsa” initiative introduced by Umno earlier this year was not solely aimed at attracting former party members back, but also intended to create a platform for cooperation among Malay parties while strengthening the position of the Malay community.
“If we lose, my concern is that this cooperation between Malay parties may not continue. We have been divided for too long, and this has weakened our collective position.
“Now, we have shown that cooperation is possible. What we want is for this cooperation to be translated into victory,” he said during a campaign event on Friday.
Ismail said if BN and PN managed to secure a significant win in Negeri Sembilan, the approach could be adopted in future state elections and potentially serve as a reference for GE16.
However, the former Umno vice-president reminded both parties’ election machinery not to become complacent, stressing that efforts must continue until polling ends.
He also urged supporters to ensure voters turn out early, saying a known support base would not matter if supporters failed to cast their ballots.
“We know who our supporters are and the number of votes we can secure, but if we fail to bring them out to vote, that support will mean nothing,” he said.
