INFIGHTING among Barisan Nasional parties in Selangor was what led to the coalition’s defeat in the last two elections, said Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Najib said the opposition won control of the country’s richest state only because members of the then BN state government were feuding among themselves.

“I know Selangor has this problem. We must rid ourselves of this problem,” he said at the BN election machinery launch in Ulu Yam.

“It is not that we are not strong, but you know what we do? We shoot ourselves in the foot when we ‘kerat’ (split) ourselves. We shoot ourselves in the foot because we want to climb up the ladder individually, not because of the party.”

Najib said he did not want BN members to quarrel among themselves, like what was happening in Pakatan Harapan now.

“We know that there is no understanding there (in PH), they are fighting among themselves. We know that PH supposedly doesn’t want to work with PAS, but behind (closed doors), they are collaborating with PAS.”

He said developments for Kuala Lumpur and Selangor could not be separated, citing the Mass Rapid Transit project.

“Don’t think that we will have a better future if we separate (developments for) Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.”

He said ruling Malay party Umno would accept any candidate to contest in the 14th general election, as long as they were from BN.

“If Umno wins, or MCA or MIC wins, or other component parties win, BN wins.

”I don’t want us to fight among ourselves. The question of who is the candidate for an area, we will accept, as long as the candidate is from BN.

“Let us not boycott or sabotage a candidate and all that. This is no longer that time. If we do that, we will lose the third time. Let us not get to that.”

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said BN candidates were undergoing a full integrity screening to ensure they were not involved in misconduct.

It was reported that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission had received a list of potential BN candidates for screening. – March 7, 2018.