Kuala Lumpur: Perikatan Nasional (PN) should come to terms with the Ayer Kuning state by-election results without resorting to unfounded excuses, as suggested by Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Zambry criticized PN's assertion that they had successfully prevented BN from obtaining 18,000 votes as a mere pretext to mask their unsatisfactory performance. He emphasized the need for PN's leadership to conduct a thorough analysis to uncover the genuine reasons for their defeat in the constituency, which was contested by PAS during the by-election.
"This approach starkly contrasts with BN and the Unity Government, which have embraced previous by-election losses with professionalism and an open mind," Zambry stated during the Closing Ceremony of the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) TechnoXplorer 2025 program at SMK Ahmad Boestamam.
Zambry, who also serves as the Minister of Higher Education, was addressing remarks made by Perak PAS election director Mohd Fakhrudin Abd Aziz. Fakhrudin had claimed that PN thwarted BN's aim to secure 18,000 votes in the election.
Meanwhile, UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani highlighted the significance of national stability under the Unity Government's leadership as a crucial element in gaining public support. He stressed the necessity of demonstrating to the population that, despite political differences, the nation's stability is paramount.
"For me, the Unity Government is still relatively new, and many remain suspicious. Our task is to show the people that, regardless of political differences, the most important thing is for the country to remain stable," Johari remarked. He further noted the adverse impact of frequent changes in prime minister on the country's reputation among foreign investors, questioning how such instability could attract long-term investments.
Johari, who is also the Minister of Plantation and Commodities, shared these insights with reporters after the Appreciation Ceremony of the National Kenaf and Tobacco Board (LKTN) in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.
In the recent by-election, BN candidate Dr Mohamad Yusri Bakir, who also serves as the Tapah UMNO Division secretary, emerged victorious in Ayer Kuning with a majority of 5,006 votes. He secured 11,065 votes, defeating PN's Abd Muhaimin Malek, who garnered 6,059 votes, and Parti Sosialis Malaysia candidate Bawani KS, who received 1,106 votes. This outcome reaffirmed Ayer Kuning as a BN bastion, a status it has maintained since 1986. The by-election was necessitated by the passing of incumbent Ishsam Shahruddin, aged 58, on February 22.