State polls: Selangor will be deciding factor for Unity Govt - Zuraida

SHAH ALAM - Former Parti Bangsa Malaysia president Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin describes Selangor as the deciding factor in the unity government's position after the state election on Aug 12.

The former housing and local government minister who supported Perikatan Nasional (PN) said if PN successfully takes Selangor in the election, it would symbolise the fall of the Federal government soon.

"If (PN) Selangor won, many MPs would be brave enough to show their faces and would no longer believe in the government in Putrajaya.

"I believe that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is in a stressful position, panicking as DAP had 40 seats that would control him.

"That’s why he, as a prime minister, is weaker now because of DAP," she claimed.

She told reporters such after attending the ‘Bicara Bangsa Tanah Aku, Dulu, Kini Ke Hadapan’ With Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad organised by the Malay Proclamation in the Shah Alam Convention Centre here on Saturday.

The programme saw Zuraida, former works minister Datuk Seri Ir Mohd Zin Mohamed, and former Malay Proclamation Secretary Datuk Marzuki Yahya as moderators.

Zuraida, who was the former Ampang MP, stated that PN must choose candidates who were great in the eyes of voters in Selangor to win the state.

She said the criteria were important to ensure voters had a choice in forming the government.

"PN candidates must be open and place great candidates as well as prepare to become the government.

"The Selangor people would then feel that the candidates chosen are capable of doing work and not like the current leaders, who stagger around riding bicycles and such," she said.

She said PN must think of a candidate line-up without thinking of parties, let it be Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (Gerakan), Pas, or Bersatu.

She explained that they must be open to those without parties as well.