Defeats of the past will shape the politics of the future for Barisan Nasional (BN) - and its failure to win the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat on April 7 has only reinforced the lessons it must learn.

In a recent interview with Malaysiakini , BN-designated Perak Menteri Besar Zambry Abd Kadir mused over the by-election campaign and sentiments in the state which has seen political turmoil since the Pakatan Rakyat lost its tenuous grip on the state legislature in February.