KUALA LUMPUR, April 10 – Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said today the Barisan Nasional (BN) was prepared to allow elected representatives friendly to the coalition in the last Dewan Rakyat and state assemblies to contest on a BN ticket in the general election provided they were suitable candidates.
The prime minister and BN chairman said these people, if given the chance to represent the BN, would not have to join any of the component parties. Nevertheless, he said, the number of seats up for contest in the general election was small and there had been no increase in the number of seats since the last general election in 2008.
“Some of those who are friendly to us (BN) did not represent any constituency but if they are suitable we are prepared to consider and allow them to stand on a BN ticket,” he told reporters after a meeting with the BN election machinery at the Dewan Merdeka, Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), here.
Some opposition MPs who had turned independent and declared themselves friendly to the BN are Datuk Ibrahim Ali (who last represented Pasir Mas), Datuk Zulkifli Noordin (Kulim Bandar Baharu) and Datuk Seri Zaharin Hashim (Bayan Baru).
N. Gobalakrishnan, who won the Padang Serai parliamentary seat for the PKR in 2008 and then became an independent MP, yesterday asked the BN to field him in that constituency in this general election.
BERNAMA
