UMNO NOT AT ALL STRONG – NAZRI STARTS TO WORRY ABOUT HIS SEAT, POKE FIRE IN PAKATAN: ‘HAMIDAH WANTS TO CONTEST IN PADANG RENGAS’

KUALA LUMPUR – Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) may be contesting Padang Rengas, a traditional PKR seat, in the next election, incumbent Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz said today.

The tourism and culture minister said he was notified by the purported candidate Datuk Hamidah Osman, who is PPBM vice-president, herself and PPBM chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during their meet in Padang Rengas last weekend.

“Hamidah told me that she is interested in contesting in Padang Rengas. I said no problem and welcomed her.

“Tun Mahathir also spoke to me in English and said she is interested, I nodded,” he told Malay Mail Online when contacted today.

The Umno supreme council member also said he had no qualms with PPBM contesting in what traditionally was supposed to be a PKR seat.

“I welcome the suggestion even though it’s traditionally a PKR seat. I don’t know if they’ve consulted their Pakatan friends,” the Padang Rengas MP sarcastically said.

Nazri added that it would actually be an advantage for him as the Opposition would be further split and votes would work to his favour.

“If Hamidah wants to contest, the more the merrier. It is to my advantage. They would be further split and that works in my favour. I hope she will come and contest,” he said.

PPBM recently officially joined the Pakatan Harapan alliance to prevent overlapping seats ahead of the next general elections.

The Umno splinter party is currently also trying to negotiate with PAS on its own to avoid any three-corner fights against Barisan Nasional.

– Malay Mail