Pn Banking On Azmin S Influence To Win In Selangor Say Analysts

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Perikatan Nasional is counting on Azmin Ali to exert his influence in Selangor to enable the party to make significant inroads at the upcoming state election.PETALING JAYA: Perikatan Nasional is seeking to leverage on Azmin Ali’s influence in Selangor to secure victory for the coalition in the upcoming state election, a political analyst said.
Syaza Shukri of International Islamic University Malaysia said Azmin has been tasked with winning Selangor because PN recognises the uphill battle ahead, especially in urban constituencies.
“PN is looking to capitalise on grassroots relations Azmin established in Selangor during his tenure as menteri besar,” she told FMT.
Ads by Kiosked“Azmin is believed to hold influence in certain areas of Selangor, such as the Gombak constituency where he has been seen actively engaging with middle-class Malays in mosques and suraus.”
On Saturday, PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin placed the onus on Azmin to ensure that the coalition wins at the Selangor state polls.
Muhyiddin said it was Azmin’s responsibility, as the current Selangor PN chairman and a former menteri besar, to secure victory for the coalition at the state polls.
Meanwhile, Wong Chin Huat of Sunway University said PN has no other prominent leader who can lead Selangor effectively.
“Who else (is there) within PN? Noh Omar may be a warlord in Umno, but he doesn’t have a statewide presence (like Azmin),” he said.
Wong said Azmin could claim victory if PN wins a “significant” number of seats in Selangor, provided the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional alliance does not retain its two-thirds majority.
Ads by Kiosked“If that happens, then Azmin, being no more than a legislative opposition leader, would lose some of his momentum for the next general election (GE16),” he said.
Another political analyst, Azmil Tayeb of Universiti Sains Malaysia, said Azmin will lose his stature in PN if he fails to emerge victorious in Selangor.
“Azmin is PN’s man in Selangor. He has no influence outside of the state, much less in the Malay heartlands where PN holds sway,” he said. - FMT

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