NO assemblyman from Barisan Nasional (BN) in Pahang will join Perikatan Nasional (PN) if the latter wins the Pelangai by-election on Saturday, BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

Zahid, who is also deputy prime minister, said instead he had received information that several PN assemblymen in Pahang were expected to support the BN-Pakatan Harapan (PH) government in the state.

“Allegations that four BN assemblymen will support PN are just their propaganda. Actually, we have insider information that they (PN) will be together with us (BN-PH),” he told a press conference after chairing the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Council meeting in Putrajaya today.

Zahid, who is also Umno president, was commenting on PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin’s claim at a ceramah in Felda Chemomoi recently that some BN assemblymen might join PN if the opposition coalition wins the Pelangai seat.

Zahid said the Pahang government now has the support of 16 assemblymen from BN and eight from PH while PN has only 17.

“Insya-Allah, we will retain Pelangai. This number is more than enough to maintain the government,” he said.

Pahang is among states that have not yet adopted the anti-party hopping law, which came into force at the federal level on October 5 last year.

The Pelangai by-election was called after its incumbent assemblyman, Johari Harun from BN, was killed in an air crash in Bandar Elmina in Shah Alam, Selangor on August 17.

The by-election is a three-cornered fight involving BN’s Amizar Abu Adam, PN’s Kasim Samat and Independent candidate Haslihelmy DM Zulhasni. – Bernama, October 5, 2023.