KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 — Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa today said the coalition will defend all of its traditional seats in the next general election.

"BN wishes to defend all of its traditional seats, whether they were won in the 14th general election or won in previous elections,” he posted on his Twitter account.

Anuar’s comments come following recent chaos in Umno over remarks by a former member on the party’s popularity in Sabah.

Mersing MP Abd Latiff Ahmad, who crossed over to PPBM after the May 9 election in 2018, had said that Umno was no longer popular in Sabah.

Following his remark, Umno leaders had called for his resignation as rural and regional development minister.

However, it was reported that Abd Latiff later apologised for his comments, claiming that it has been misinterpreted.

Despite Latiff’s explanations that his remarks were misinterpreted, Umno leaders who had hit out at Latiff included party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who said that the Mersing seat belonged to Umno.

Meanwhile, BN adviser Datuk Seri Najib Razak said that Umno would "take Mersing back”.

This followed an agreement between Umno and PAS to back PPBM president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister in the 15th general election.