PENANG Pakatan Harapan (PH) has agreed to retain its Barisan Nasional (BN) executive councillor in the state administration, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said today.
Chow, who is also Penang PH chairman, said the decision was based on the electoral pact forged between PH and BN during the 2023 Penang state election, while stressing that the current political cooperation remains intact at the state level.
“The meeting today also reached a consensus to retain the Barisan Nasional exco member in the Penang government, in line with the understanding or electoral pact established during the 2023 state election,” he said after chairing the Penang PH meeting at the Penang DAP headquarters in Jalan Rangoon here.
Chow said there had been no indication at the state level contradicting the national position that the unity government would remain in place until the next general election.
“We take note of what has been stated at the national level. The President of Umno and BN has stated that the unity government will remain until the next general election. That is the official position of PH and Umno.
“At the state level, there has been no statement that contradicts this position,” he said.
His remarks came amid questions over the political landscape following developments in Johor and Negri Sembilan, where political realignments involving BN and Perikatan Nasional (PN) have raised questions over the future of cooperation between PH and BN ahead of the next general election.
Chow said PH Penang could not afford to be complacent despite its record in governing the state.
He said the state PH leadership recognised that the political landscape was becoming increasingly challenging, with the next general election potentially taking place at any time and political opponents becoming more aggressive in their efforts to win public support.
“PH Penang cannot afford to feel too comfortable simply based on its good record in administration. Government performance is an important foundation, but in politics today, perceptions and sentiments often move faster than facts.
“If our achievements are not communicated effectively, they will not necessarily translate into support at the ballot box,” he said.
Chow said PH Penang would therefore focus on strengthening cooperation among its component parties, improving its political narrative and engaging voters more effectively, particularly the Undi18 demographic.
He said the coalition must also be prepared to acknowledge its own weaknesses while communicating its achievements more aggressively and effectively.
“Too many of our achievements have been overshadowed because we were slow in providing explanations, less aggressive in communicating information, and often allowed our opponents to determine the topics of discussion,” he said.
Chow added that PH needed to strengthen its presence in the digital space and counter racial and hate-based narratives with facts while remaining close to the realities faced by ordinary people.
He said the coalition would also carefully study the results of the Johor and Negri Sembilan state elections, with every constituency in Penang analysed from various angles ahead of the next general election.
“Every leader, every machinery and every component party must continue moving as one team with the same objective,” he said.
On the possibility of BN entering into a pact with PN in Penang, Chow reiterated that the 2023 electoral pact was specifically between PH and BN.
“Our electoral pact in 2023 was with Barisan Nasional only,” he said.
Chow said the immediate objective was to ensure Penang remained a stronghold for PH and continued to serve as a symbol of public confidence in the coalition.
“Our aim is to ensure that Penang remains a strong fortress for PH, a symbol of public confidence and a stronghold that must continue to be strengthened.
“From Penang, we need to create a new wave that restores public confidence in PH nationwide,” he further explained.
Chow said the Penang PH meeting marked the beginning of a more aggressive, organised and disciplined political effort ahead of the next general election.
“We are not merely seeking to defend what we have. We want to expand public support and build momentum towards victory in the next general election,” he said.
Asked about the coalition’s prospects of retaining Malay-majority seats such as Bayan Lepas and Batu Maung amid possible political challenges, Chow said it remained the responsibility of Penang PH to defend and increase its number of seats.
“That is the responsibility of Penang PH, to retain and increase the number of seats,” said a vibrant Chow, who received uproar support following that remark.