Khir: Umno and BN need Harapan in S'gor, they don't need us

Khir: Umno and BN need Harapan in S'gor, they don't need us


Former Selangor menteri besar Mohd Khir Toyo outlined the difference between Pakatan Harapan and BN with regard to the upcoming state election.

He claimed that while BN and Umno grassroots are still finding it difficult to accept working with Harapan and DAP, Umno’s leaders, however, are eager to do so despite their former political adversaries not showing the same level of interest.

"This is because the majority of Harapan and DAP leaders are confident of winning their seats and retaining the state administration without Umno and BN's support," Khir (above) told Sinar Harian.

Whereas, he said for Umno and BN, Harapan and DAP’s support is crucial, especially from voters who had cast their ballots for PKR or Amanah candidates in the past polls.

"Umno is also facing the possibility of protest votes from Indian and Chinese voters who supported MIC and MCA, who feel that the two parties were left out in the decision-making (seat negotiations)," he added.

Malaysiakini had reported that the BN component parties might be sidelined in the Selangor contest unless the Harapan and BN central leaderships reverse the state-level decision.

In the 2018 general election, MCA contested 14 state seats whereas MIC, three, in Selangor. Both parties were wiped out.

Harapan has controlled the resource-rich state since the 2008 general election after wresting it from BN under Khir’s watch.

Contradictory claim on seat talks

Meanwhile, Khir, a former dentist-turned-politician, who was imprisoned for graft, said BN is gunning to contest 10 seats in Selangor in the coming polls, including the three that are still the subject of overlapping claims with Harapan.

He also claimed that formal discussions between the state BN and Harapan on seat allocations and election strategies have not commenced which contradicted Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari’s earlier remarks on the matter.

Amirudin had said that Harapan and BN leaders in the state would hold their final seat negotiations this week to resolve the overlapping claims on three seats.


Overlapping seats

Sinar reported that the three seats are the Jeram state seat under the Kuala Selangor parliamentary constituency, as well as the Hulu Bernam and Batang Kali state seats under the Hulu Selangor parliamentary constituency.

The daily also quoted a source claiming that both Umno and Amanah are eyeing the Jeram and Hulu Bernam seats while PKR and MCA want the Batang Kali seat.

Last February, Selangor legislative assembly speaker Ng Suee Lim declared the Batang Kali state seat vacant after its incumbent Harumaini Omar was absent from the assembly for more than six months without leave.

Harumaini is a member of Pejuang. He was elected in 2018 when he stood as a Harapan candidate. At the time, he was with Bersatu.

The Hulu Bernam state seat, meanwhile, is held by BN's Rosni Sohar, who won it with a slim 20-vote majority against PKR and PAS’ candidates in the 14th general election (GE14).

As for the Jeram state seat, it is held by Pejuang's Mohd Shaid Rosli, who won it on a PKR ticket in GE14.

Sinar's version of the three disputed seats differed from Malaysiakini's report which named two of the seats as Gombak Setia (under the Gombak parliamentary constituency), and Sungai Kandis (under the Kota Raja parliamentary constituency).

Malaysiakini could not ascertain the third seat in contention.