We knew we couldn’t pull off a ‘Perak coup’ in Selangor, says Umno’s Noh Omar

By admin-s On Aug 22, 2014

(TMI) – No matter what we could have done, we would have still remained the opposition. We are aware of our numbers.

When Pakatan Rakyat (PR) risked breaking up over the Selangor menteri besar impasse, Selangor Barisan Nasional (BN) had little choice but to remain by-standers as it had too few seats in the state legislature to take the Selangor government under the ruling pact’s squabbling feet.

Selangor Umno liaison chief Datuk Seri Noh Omar told The Malaysian Insider the “Perak route” was not an option, referring to the 2009 constitutional crisis in that state when the PR state government fell after three assemblymen — two from PKR and one from DAP — left their respective parties to become BN-friendly independents.

“No matter what we could have done, we would have still remained the opposition. We are aware of our numbers. We have only 12 out of 56 assemblymen in the state government,” Noh said in an exclusive interview.

“The issue of cooperating with PAS did not arise,” he said, adding that any talk of a “unity government” came from members of the Islamist party.

The Tanjong Karang MP pointed out that it would have been fruitless to attempt to sweet-talk PAS into joining hands with Umno, as the combined number of assemblymen was still not enough to form the majority in the assembly.

“This was not like in Perak 2009, where the difference between PR and BN assemblymen was minimal and BN was able to win the Perak government through the defections of just three PR representatives,” said Noh.

Besides, he said, BN was well aware that the protracted “drama” between the three parties in Selangor would not tear the pact apart, despite the ominous warnings from PR leaders that PAS may break away from the loose coalition.

“We knew this was their game. Why should we tread into their battlefield? Even if PAS or DAP became menteri besar, we would still be the opposition,” said Noh.