LOSING the Rantau by-election has no impact on the Pakatan Harapan government, coalition chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.

The prime minister said it was not unusual for government parties to lose in by-elections as the people know that such outcomes will not change the federal government.

“Most government parties don’t receive support in by-elections because the results won’t change anything for the (federal) government. The government is still in power, win or lose,” he told reporters today after launching a exhibition and meeting on railroad innovation in Cyberjaya.

The Rantau by-election last Saturday was PH’s third loss in recent polls, after Cameron Highlands and Semenyih.

Rantau is a state seat in Negri Sembilan, which is now under PH rule following the 14th general election last May. 

Dr Mahathir added that Barisan Nasional’s win in Rantau by its candidate, Mohamad Hasan, would not affect the PH-led Negri Sembilan government.

Mohamad is a three-term Negri Sembilan menteri besar and Umno acting president.

He beat PKR’s Dr S. Streram by a 4,510-vote majority in Saturday’s polls.

Others, however, have viewed PH’s loss in Rantau as a reminder to the ruling government that it cannot afford to ignore people’s concerns about the economy and rising cost of living.

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said after the by-election that PH leaders should take heed of the Rantau by-election results to continuously improve their policies and programmes aimed at ensuring the people’s welfare. – April 16, 2019.