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PERIKATAN Nasional election director-general Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has publicly challenged UMNO’s assertion that it stands a strong chance of winning back seats in the Kedah State Legislative Assembly should the party contest independently in the 16th General Election.
Reacting to remarks by Alor Setar UMNO division chief Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah, Muhammad Sanusi questioned the factual basis of the claim, which was made during the 2025 UMNO General Assembly.
“Which records and data is Ahmad Bashah referring to? Where does that confidence come from?
“In the 14th General Election, UMNO contested solo and only won three state seats in Kedah. At that time, UMNO had not yet cooperated with DAP and Pakatan Harapan. Pakatan Harapan won 18 seats, while PAS secured 15,” he said, as quoted by Kedah Online.
Ahmad Bashah, who is also a former Kedah Menteri Besar, had expressed confidence that Malay voters would return to UMNO after realising past mistakes.
Commenting further, Muhammad Sanusi said UMNO’s electoral standing worsened after it formed a political alliance with Pakatan Harapan, noting that Barisan Nasional lost all its seats in Kedah in the 15th General Election. Pakatan Harapan, he added, was left with only three state assembly seats and one parliamentary seat in the state.
According to him, the BN–PH cooperation in Kedah appears fragile and has failed to demonstrate unity or effective political coordination.
“From my observation, BN and PH are like parties ‘killing’ each other. Even Kedah delegates debating at the UMNO General Assembly themselves confirmed that the PH–BN Secretariat office has gathered dust, with no joint meetings taking place,” he said.
Muhammad Sanusi also questioned the approach taken by Kedah Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, alleging that his focus has been largely confined to the Padang Serai parliamentary constituency as a personal target area ahead of the next general election. - January 18, 2026
