KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 — Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa has admitted that he had gone against Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s call for support for an early 15th general election (GE15) during the coalition’s convention yesterday.

In a Facebook post, Annuar said that this was because he was not sure that BN was well prepared for the polls, though many claimed to be "ready”.

"I agree that the GE should be expedited as soon as BN is really ready. But I did not stand up. I don’t have to stand just because someone else is standing, or because I’m shy, timid, or because I’m told to stand and so on,” he said.

Zahid, during the convention yesterday, had called on attendees to stand if they thought the GE should be held as soon as possible, to "show” Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob that the coalition was ready to face the election.

According to a Malaysiakini report, some 4,000 attendees stood up.

"I noticed that many people were stunned, many also stood up spontaneously. Some were waiting to see if their friends were standing or not. Some stood up but [later] said they have a different stance. It’s normal in that situation,” Zahid said

"In my experience, I have seen many who claim they were confident of winning, but in the end losing; those who said they are ‘ready’ but were actually not ready; those who supposedly had funds but quickly ran out after a few days of campaigning.

"Meanwhile, the best thing for us is to work immediately, close ranks, control BN strongholds, and organise strategies to capture enemy areas,” he added.

Ismail Sabri, who is also from Umno, has reportedly been averse to having an early election.

In an interview with Nikkei Asia, he cited rising costs in food and other living expenses as among the reasons to push back the elections, which only need to be called by September next year.