KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 — The Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition is already “controlling” the narrative, just days into official campaigning for the 15th general election, PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli has said.

Rafizi, who is contesting the Pandan federal seat in Selangor, also pointed out that it was PH who was the first to announce its candidates and unveil its manifesto.

“I think the opponents are in shambles in terms of campaign narrative. If you notice every single thing since the dissolution (of Parliament), Pakatan has been leading.

“It’s what we say, and then BN (Barisan Nasional) has to counter,” he was quoted as saying by Channel News Asia at a rally event in Kuantan, Pahang.

He said this was a good sign as it is very difficult to win a general election without controlling the narrative.

“We just have to make sure that we control it well, focus, don’t make mistakes, and maintain the momentum in the next few days,” Rafizi said.

According to the Election Commission (EC), PH is fielding 206 candidates in this year’s election.

Rafizi said PH is currently aiming to win more than 90 seats in the peninsula before working with a coalition in East Malaysia to form the federal government which would only be possible if voter turnout on November 19 is more than 70 per cent.

Of the 90, Rafizi said PH is expected to win 11 seats in the Federal Territories, 19 in Selangor, and possibly 13 to 15 seats in Johor.

“I think the moment we cross 90 — we are in shot for that now — it’s obvious that Pakatan gets the mandate from the peninsula.

“Then it’s a question of whether we can work with a coalition in Sabah or Sarawak that receives a mandate from there. And assuming that one or two coalitions (there) get more than 25, it’s already quite a stable government, given that we have the anti-party hopping law and so on,” he said.

He asserted that the support level for PH is “exactly” the same two weeks before Polling Day compared to the previous election in May 2018, which it won.

Rafizi also dismissed reports that party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has formed a secret pact with Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, adding that this rumour does not “cut any ice” with the public.

This is after Parti Pejuang Tanah Air chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad claimed Anwar will help dismiss Ahmad Zahid’s ongoing court cases and free Datuk Seri Najib Razak from jail if he receives the support to become prime minister.

“I don’t think it’s making any sense. It’s just a question of whether we are able to swing fence-sitters, especially the younger ones.

“We’ve seen different people saying different things, but they end up sitting down together. So (voters) are no longer interested about the cloak-and-dagger (politics). They’re only interested in what exactly we are going to do should we win. And are we going to cross the number to give a stable government.

“I’ve said before last week that it is a cheapskate attempt to divert because we are controlling the narrative. I don’t think it’s working,” he said.

During the rally, Rafizi took a jibe at Umno by saying people do not believe that caretaker prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will continue as prime minister if Barisan Nasional wins.

“In Pakatan Harapan, we are solid and have no problems that we win, our prime minister will be Anwar Ibrahim.

“In Barisan Nasional, the leader is Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. But everyone around him is shy to say that Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is the leader,” he said.

The EC has set November 19 as the polling day for the GE15 while the date for early voting is Nov 15.