SEREMBAN: Tan Sri Annuar Musa today wished Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi 'good luck' on the latter's determination to maintain dominance in three of the six states set for state elections.
The Muafakat Nasional (MN) chairman said it was not wrong for Zahid to declare his conviction to help Pakatan Harapan defend Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan in the polls.
However, he claimed that voters in the three states have already made up their minds on who they want to pick in the upcoming elections.
"It is not wrong when he made that statement. Even in Kelantan, (Umno) vowed to seize the state for the past 30 years, but keep losing every election.
"So, even this one (state polls), God willing, he will lose as well.
"However, to me, that is his (Zahid's) duty to say that in his speech, because it is what members want to hear.
"I respect that because he wants to boost the confidence of his people. (So) Good luck, a good statement," he told the media after the Muafakat Nasional Negri Sembilan Town Hall event, here.
Also present was MN deputy president Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin.
Annuar was commenting on Zahid's speech at the 2023 Umno General Assembly, which affirmed the party's determination with its partners in the unity government to defend its control in Penang, Selangor and Negri Sembilan in the next state polls.
Zahid also stressed that efforts will be made to break the opposition's control in Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan, which are currently under Perikatan Nasional (PN).
In the meantime, Annuar insisted that MN will remain a non-governmental organization (NGO) and not a political party.
The former Ketereh member of parliament who was sacked from Umno said MN will not participate in the election.
"MN is not a political party. It is an NGO registered under the Registrar of Societies officially and legally.
"There is no question of MN participating in the election. MN is set up to carry out activities that are in line with its constitution," he said.