DEFENCE Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob believes a snap poll will return Perikatan Nasional (PN) to power with a good majority.

The Umno vice president said the current PN government was not strong and constantly under pressure owing to its slim majority in Parliament.

The government has a three-seat majority in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat, but it is constantly dogged by talk of defection from its ranks and the opposition Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition launching a counter offensive against it.

“Overall, the government today is not strong. That is why the best solution is to return the mandate to the people to decide.

“If the government dissolves Parliament today, I am confident we can win the election,” Ismail Sabri said in an interview with Sinar Harian.

He said ideally PN should be allowed to serve the remaining three years of this term of office, but this was unlikely given the pressure it was under from PH.

“If it were in the hands of the people, there would be no problem, but it is in the hands of MPs, and there is not much difference in MPs between both sides.

“If that is what the opposition wants, then it is better we let the people decide.

“The opposition says it is accepted by the people, who do not accept us. Let the people decide who they really accept,” he told the newspaper.

PH took Putrajaya after defeating BN in the May 2018 general election, but after less than two years into its five-year term, it was betrayed by more than 30 MPs from Bersatu and PKR.

These lawmakers – led by Muhyiddin and former PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali – formed PN with the help of Umno, PAS, and a clutch of Sabah and Sarawak parties. – June 21, 2020.