BN playing catch-up as PN calls the shots in polls campaign, say experts

Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional have an electoral understanding to avoid splitting the vote at the Negeri Sembilan state election next week.PETALING JAYA: Perikatan Nasional has forged ahead in its electoral cooperation with Barisan Nasional for the Negeri Sembilan state election by repeatedly putting forward new ideas while BN has been left defining the limits of the partnership, say two experts.Sivamurugan Pandian.Political scientist Sivamurugan Pandian of Universiti Sains Malaysia said BN had been left with drawing political boundaries and practising strategic ambiguity (by keeping the cooperation vague).He said strategic ambiguity works only as a temporary strategy. If PN continues to dominate the public narrative while BN merely issues clarifications or denials, the political optics will increasingly favour PN, he added.Wawasan president Hamzah Zainudin floated the "Perikatan Barisan Nasional" branding, while PN information chief Annuar Musa said the two coalitions would campaign on a single manifesto and had appointed representatives to coordinate it.BN deputy chairman Mohamad Hasan said BN has no intention of forming a new grouping and would unveil its own manifesto which it did, while BN president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has described the cooperation as an electoral understanding rather than a formal political alliance.Azmi Hassan.Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said PN is simply trying to secure its place alongside what it believes will be the next state government.