KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) is confident that it can net a two-thirds majority in the 15th general election (GE15), its election director Datuk Seri Azmin Ali said today.
The coalition is certain that it can get the minimum of 112 seat that it needs to form the next federal government, he told reporters at an event in Gombak according to a report by Malaysiakini.
"We are confident that PN will get a number of seats positive enough for us to form a government this November 19. Of course, we aim higher, but at least 112.
"They want a government that can serve them. And if we PN can convince them, it is not impossible for us to get a number big enough to form the government," he was quoted as saying.
Azmin said Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) may be Malay-centric but it has a multi-racial approach that can attract the support of other ethnic communities.
"We also see PN has big potential to get the backing of the Chinese and Indian voters. As we are all aware, the Chinese community is a business community and they want stability, they want business opportunities.
"The community wants a government that can create and spur economic growth.
"And this is PN’s track record during the time we were leading the government, where we had shown an excellent record in commerce and investments," he was reported saying.
Besides that, the report said that Azmin criticised Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, during a doorstop interview, for claiming that military personnel had each received RM300 in bribes to vote for prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in the latter’s constituency of Bera.
"It was an irresponsible remark, he (Anwar) tried to belittle the maturity of our military personnel.
"It is an insult to them, suggesting that our soldiers can be easily bribed. He should apologise to them.
"And this once again proves that Pakatan Harapan (PH) never respects the members of civil service, government officers, and members of the security forces, by making hurtful statements to their feelings,” he said.
Azmin reportedly went on to link Anwar’s allegations to his own recent claim that when PH was in power, it had tried to force Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was the prime minister at the time, to transfer eight ministry secretaries-general.
"Was it because they were Malays? Because they were Muslims? Why did they want to drag civil servants into political battles while they are only executing government policies?
"This proves that PH repeatedly insults and steps on the civil servants, so they must take responsibility for this.
"I believe that members of the civil service including the security forces would punish PH in this general election,” he said.
Azmin, the incumbent of the Gombak parliamentary seat, is facing a four-cornered fight against Selangor mentir besar and PH candidate Datuk Amirudin Shari, Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin, Gerakan Tanah Air’s Aziz Jamaludin Mohd Tahir and independent candidate Zulkifli Ahmad.
