Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz said that BN is not yet ready for snap elections, even after its win at the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections last Saturday.

“We are quite happy (with the results of Sarawak state polls and the by-elections) but we are certainly not that comfortable yet.

“I don't think it is time to call for snap elections just yet. I think we should just wait for 2018,” he said at a press conference at the ‘Warna Warni Aidilfitri’ buka puasa event in Kuala Lumpur tonight.

Previously, former deputy prime minister Musa Hitam had said that he would call for snap elections next year if he were the prime minister, following BN’s overwhelming victories in the twin by-elections.

However, Nazri said that he compared the majority by combining the votes for the opposition in the by-elections.

For example, he said that in Sungai Besar, “if you were to compare BN to the combined votes for both Amanah and PAS, their (BN) majority is only 2,289”.

This is an improved performance compared to the slim 399-majority BN obtained in the 13th general election in 2013, he said, but this did not mean BN is “out of the woods” yet.

However, BN’s majority is 9,191 to Amanah's 7,609, placing the latter in second spot.

On a separate matter, Nazri also said he agreed with Opposition Leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail that if former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad wants to lead the opposition, he must first contest in the next general election.

“I support what Wan Azizah said. I say it would be more effective for Mahathir to contest in the next general election, if he wants to topple (Prime Minister) Najib (Abdul Razak) and BN.

“I am a democrat, so I support this move. But we won't give it to him for free, he has to fight for it,” he said, when asked by reporters to comment on Wan Azizah’s suggestion to Mahathir to contest in the national polls if he wished to become the opposition leader.

Meanwhile, on the upcoming cabinet reshuffle, Nazri saying that it was the prime minister’s prerogative to appoint whoever he deemed suitable for whichever post.

“For example, I am suitable for the Tourism and Culture Ministry, which I believe that is why he (Najib) appointed me.

“Certainly, I feel I am suitable to continue as the minister of tourism and culture,” he said, to a smattering of applause from the crowd.

Commenting on the incident where a group of taxi drivers beat up a Uber driver and hurt an Iranian tourist, Nazri said:

“However angry you are, you cannot take the law into your own hands.”

He hoped the authorities would act quickly against the taxi drivers involved, but he stressed that he did not think people should tar all taxi drivers because of this incident.

Asked whether this incident would hurt the tourism industry, Nazri said he hoped this was an isolated case.

“Certainly, tourists are welcome to Malaysia. They are our guests and this is no way to treat a guest.

“If it goes viral, certainly it will affect us but I do hope this will be an isolated case. I do hope that the authorities will take immediate action to ensure these people won't be around to hurt our tourists,” he said.