Better chances for BN in GE13, says Dr Mahathir

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad says that the Malay votes in Perak are back in BN's pockets.

PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad predicted that the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional would have a better chance to regain the states that it had lost in the 2008 general election.

The states are Kedah, Penang, Selangor, Perak and Kelantan. In 2008, BN lost the states and its traditional two-thirds majority in Parliament.

BN took over Perak a year later, in 2009, when three Pakatan Rakyat State Legislative Assembly members quit Pakatan Rakyat to be Barisan Nasional-friendly independents.

“I see [BN's position in] Kelantan as 50-50 similar to Penang. Kedah and Perak are 55-45,” said Mahathir in an interview with Malay daily, Utusan Malaysia.

He based his confidence on BN retaining Perak on the shift of Malay votes back to BN.

“At one point of time, in Perak even the Malays supported the DAP but now the situation has changed,” Mahathir said.

He is also confident that BN would retain Negeri Sembilan as long as there is no infighting.

“To me, Negeri Sembilan is still safe, provided they don’t quarrel among themselves. Problems arise when they quarrel but I don’t think they would,” said the former premier who led this nation for 23 years.

Mahathir, however, is not confident of a similar victory in Sabah and Sarawak.

“We still can win but not as many as we did in 2008,” he said.

He also urged voters to vote based on the party, not the candidate.

“Do not hesitate to support the candidate. Do not support because the candidate is my favourite or someone’s favourite. This is a competition between parties, not individuals.”