TOP caretaker Barisan Nasional ministers will get the boot in the May 9 polls, predicted the Invoke Centre for Policy Initiatives today.

Founder Rafizi Ramli said BN component chiefs Liow Tiong Lai (MCA) and Dr S. Subramaniam (MIC) are among those staring at defeat.

Dr Subramaniam, who is caretaker health minister, is contesting in Segamat, Johor, while caretaker transport minister Liow is standing in Bentong, Pahang. They are the parliamentary seats’ incumbents.

Rafizi said another major casualty will be caretaker defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein, who is contesting the Johor federal seat of Sembrong, due to a swing in Malay votes.

“You have to remember, even Sembrong and Rembau are mixed seats. There is a strong swing in the Malay vote in Johor,” he said when presenting the Invoke data.

The PKR vice-president said caretaker youth and sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin stands to lose Rembau as the nomination day fiasco in Rantau, a state seat under Rembau, has put off Indian voters.

“Khairy won Rembau because of Indian voters. After what happened in Rantau, Indians won’t be too willing to vote for him again.”

On April 28, Pakatan Harapan’s Rantau candidate, Dr S. Streram, was barred from filing his nomination after being disallowed entry into the nomination centre for not having a candidate’s pass.

Rafizi added that caretaker Johor menteri besar Mohamed Khaled Nordin, too, is predicted to lose in the polls.

He said among the PH leaders set to cruise to victory are prime minister candidate Dr Mahathir Mohamad in Langkawi, Kedah, and Liew Chin Tong in Ayer Itam, Johor. 

He said Husam Musa stands a good chance of winning both the Alor state and Kota Baru parliamentary seats in Kelantan, making the Amanah leader a possible menteri besar candidate.

He said PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang is predicted to lose the Marang federal seat, of which he is incumbent. – May 7, 2018.