KUCHING: There is a very high possibility of a hung state legislative assembly in Terengganu and even a change in the government if the BN fails to win in the upcoming by-election, warns a local political observer Dato Peter Minos.
He said the state could fall to the opposition even before the by-election if there were some ‘Judases’ who might want to cross over to Pakatan Rakyat as the state leadership was seemingly having some serious internal problems.
“BN has to shape up in Terengganu and it must win big in the upcoming by-election given the present razor-thin one-seat majority in its state legislative assembly. BN actually did quite well in the last general election in Terengganu and there is no reason it should not do well again,” Minos told The Borneo Post here yesterday.
However, he cautioned that the voters in this eastern state of Peninsular Malaysia have not been too happy with the present state BN leadership due to internal squabbling.
“Umno top leadership must really do something or BN Terengganu will continue to sink further,” he said.
Minos, who is also PBB deputy information chief, said that if the BN were to win the by-election then there was no danger of the state government falling to the opposition.
“But if the opposition wins (the by-election), a state election could also be called as a hung state legislative assembly cannot operate.”
Unimas’ senior lecturer and political analyst Dr Jeniri Amir also concurred with Minos that the BN government in Terengganu could fall if it loses in the by-election.
“It all depends on the performance of the current BN government. And it also depends on the performance of Pakatan Rakyat as well as the decision of the new voters,” added Jeniri.
On the other hand, State BN secretary-general Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi was optimistic that the BN would continue to prevail in Terengganu as all the BN machinery including from Sarawak would assist in the by-election.
The by-election in Terengganu is necessitated following the death of Kuala Besut assemblyman Dr A Rahman Mokhtar yesterday.
The second-term assemblyman from Umno passed away at 10.18am and was buried at Masjid Teluk Bayu cemetery in Kuala Besut after Zohor prayers yesterday.
Dr Rahman, 55, was appointed to a second term as the health, women’s development, family and community exco chairman after the last general election.
He was admitted to the hospital last week and warded in the intensive care unit (ICU) after complaining of chest pains. He was a senior member of the state BN and one of only four who were retained in the state exco line-up.
Dr Rahman defended the Kuala Besut state seat by beating PAS’ Napisah Ismail with a majority of 2,434 votes in the last general election. He garnered 8,809 votes.