Ex-Umno warlord Noh Omar says Malay votes will let Perikatan take Selangor easily
SABAK BERNAM, June 2 — Former Selangor Umno chief Tan Sri Noh Omar expressed confidence last night that Perikatan Nasional (PN) could comfortably win the state election on the back of Malay support.
Citing “ummah unity”, the ex-Tanjong Karang MP recounted his previous efforts to develop Muafakat Nasional into a platform for Malay votes, and said PN could replicate this to win at least 33 seats from the 56 available and form the state government.
MN was the informal charter signed between Umno and PAS before the two eventually fell out due to the latter’s decision to join PN with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) over the former.
Addressing around 500 attendees at a PN Dialogue Session at Sungai Besar here, he said Umno’s previous strength in the state had come from its northern belt where Malay majority seats contributed to the party’s success.
“According to the strategy like the previous Muafakat Nasional that we had proposed, we can win at least 33 state seats. But if we go with a three-way fight, we will lose.
“But today, there will be only direct fights between PN and Pakatan Harapan with Barisan Nasional. With this, I’m confident that the PN will win in the upcoming state election,” he said.
He also said that Umno has suffered due to allegedly abandoning the “ummah unity” agenda after its abysmal performance in the 15th general election (GE15).
Apart from Noh, PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan also said PN would win at least 29 seats, the minimum needed to form the state government through a simple majority.
The Opposition chief whip also said that PAS did not regret choosing Bersatu over Umno, which he said was shown to be rejected by voters.
“I still remember Umno offered PAS with 40 winnable seats on the condition that we leave Bersatu.
“But today we have won 43 seats in the last general election, which is more than what Umno offered us,” he said referring to federal seats his party won last November.
Besides Noh and Takiyuddin, others present were federal Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin, Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Kamal, former Ampang MP Datuk Seri Rina Harun, Putrajaya MP Datuk Seri Radzi Jidin, and Pendang MP Datuk Awang Hashim.
The event was hosted by Sungai Besar MP Muslimin Yahaya at the PAS district headquarters.
Last month, Noh, whom Umno expelled after he told the party to do so, announced his candidacy for his former seat in Tanjong Karang as a PN candidate in the upcoming state polls.
Apart from Selangor, others expected to hold state election by August include Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu, and Kedah.
