JOHOR BARU, March 11 — The federal government need not consider extending its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Pakatan Harapan (PH), as the Opposition coalition wishes, to the end of the year, Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.

Instead, he suggested the government seek a dissolution of Parliament this year to pave the way for a fresh general election, claiming public support is with the BN at the moment.

"Why do they want to prolong until end of the year?" the Bagan Datuk MP told reporters at the Tampoi MIC operations centre here today, referring to PH's suggestion that the Putrajaya-PH MoU, which expires in July, be extended to year end.

"It means they have internal problems. It means they are not confident. It means they think the people would reject them.

"To me, we should not give them ample time and opportunity to fix their problem, and to get their affairs in order," Zahid said of the PH component parties who are contesting in the Johor state election.

"The people have changed their tastes, it is now with Barisan Nasional,” he added.

He said the BN should capitalise on the purported "feel good factor” while the wind is in its favour.

Yesterday, DAP lawmaker Anthony Loke Siew Fook called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to extend the MoU and delay holding GE15 this year.

The Seremban MP said extending the MoU would allow Dewan Rakyat to table and pass crucial Bills to outlaw "party hopping”, and possibly pave the way for other key laws like a constituency development financing bill that would ban funding discrimination against Opposition MPs.

Zahid also said Ismail Sabri, who is an Umno vice-president, has yet to be confirmed as BN’s "poster boy” in the coming general election.

He said it is still too early to determine who will lead the BN's charge in GE15, adding that discussions have yet to take place.

"We have a system of deliberation and together the decision makers will usually have discussions to determine that the party should be at the forefront, and then we will announce.

"It's not appropriate for me to announce our poster boy for GE-15.

"We wait until the party makes a decision,” he said.