KUALA LUMPUR: Perikatan Nasional is ready to face three-cornered fights in the upcoming Melaka state election should Barisan Nasional continue to keep mum on possible cooperation between the two alliances.
According to PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the coalition is still open to accepting allies to ensure straight fights during the Nov 20 election.
"The question remains: is the other side ready (for cooperation)? We have yet to receive a clear and firm decision on this.
"There isn't much time now that the nomination and election days have been announced," he said during a press conference in Melaka aired live on his Facebook page today.
Muhyiddin said if BN was unable to provide a final decision on this, PN would stick to its central leadership's decision.
"I believe it is important to not dilly-dally. PN component parties have agreed that if we need to face three-cornered fights, then so be it," he said.
Recently, Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who is also BN chairman said that the coalition has yet to decide whether to join forces with PN during the Melaka state election.
Zahid said a decision would be made early next month by Umno and BN leaders.
On Tuesday, the Election Commission announced Nov 20 as the polling day for the Melaka state election with nominations on Nov 8 and early voting on Nov 16.
The Melaka state election was sparked following defections of four assemblymen from the government, citing dissatisfaction over the way the state administration was run by caretaker chief minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali.
Commenting on this, Muhyiddin said the action of the four assemblymen was irresponsible, adding that this was causing anger among the people of Melaka.
"I was not born in Melaka but I have relatives there and they are upset with this. We are in the middle of a pandemic.
"This is not the time for us to think about power. It is affecting the people," he said.
