SEREMBAN: All parties in the unity government should continue strengthening their respective parties and not rely solely on the advantages of being in power to face the next general election, said Amanah president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu.
He said that party strength would determine victory in the election, not the positions they hold in the government.
"Parties and government are different, because if we rely on the government to strengthen the party alone, it won't work.
"I take the example of Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN), they were strong, but when they were at their peak in power, they lost in the general elections in 2018 and 2022," he told reporters after opening Negri Sembilan Amanah's 8th Convention here today.
Similarly, Pakatan Harapan, Mohamad said, lost in the Cameron Highlands by-election as well as the Semenyih and Tanjung Piai seats, when in power.
Being in the government does not necessarily mean being strong; the party must have its own identity to move forward, he said.
"So, don't ever think that when we are in power as ministers, deputy ministers, in government-linked companies (GLCs), we should pay less attention to the party because it's different when facing elections."
Regarding the election of the National Leadership Committee of Amanah for the 2023-2026 term next week, Mohamad said he would leave it to the delegates to determine the desired candidates.
A total of 124 candidates are vying for 27 seats in the Amanah National Leadership Committee elections, which will be held simultaneously with the Amanah National Convention 2023 in Klang, Selangor, scheduled for Dec 23 and 24.
Earlier, in his speech, Mohamad said Pakatan Harapan (made up of PKR, DAP and Amanah) should cooperate closely with UMNO if they want to wrestle control of the four opposition-administered states - Kedah, Perlis, Terengganu, and Kelantan.
"Enhance our unity; if we combine the support votes for BN and PH, Insya-Allah, we can win several parliamentary seats in these four states," he said.
In another development, Mohamad, who is also the agriculture and food security minister, said his ministry would conduct a census if there is damage to crops due to flooding in the East Coast before providing assistance according to financial capabilities. – BERNAMA
