BARISAN Nasional and muafakat nasional can lead Malaysia as they are the biggest political force in the country, said Najib Razak.

“This means that BN has come back from defeat. We just fell. We weren’t buried,” said the BN adviser during a political programme with voters in Felda Gunung Besout 1 in Slim, Perak, today.

“Umno and muafakat have risen from their defeat in GE14 (14th general election) and are now the biggest political force in the country,” said the former Umno president and former prime minister.

Najib, who was handed a 12-year jail sentence and fined RM210 million last month for corruption, said the Slim by-election is important to send a clear signal that BN is back.

He said BN began its winning streak in the Cameron Highlands by-election in January last year.

“Wherever there is cooperation between BN and PAS, the BN candidate has won.

“The most shocking was in the Chini by-election, where BN won 96% of the votes in stream 6 (young voters) at one polling station,” said Najib.

He urged Felda voters to support BN candidate Mohd Zaidi Aziz to send a clear signal to its rivals.

Najib, however, did not comment on Bersatu, which left Pakatan Harapan to partner with BN and PAS to create the Perikatan Nasional government now headed by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

In Johor today, Muhyiddin said Bersatu plans to join muafakat nasional and seal its pact with Umno and PAS.

“Win well so that we send a clear signal that BN and muafakat nasional will come into power in this country. We don’t know when GE15 will take place but we hope it will be very soon,” said Najib.

The Slim contest is the 12th by-election since 2018. So far, BN has won six of the contests and is currently on a 6-0 winning streak.

Slim will be contested by Zaidi and two independents - Amir Khusyairi Mohamad Tanusi and Santhara Segaran Subramaniam.

Amir, a former Bersatu member, is contesting on behalf of new party Pejuang, which was formed by Dr Mahathir Mohamad. – August 15, 2020.