Barisan Nasional faces two critical by-elections in April which the opposition said today would be a "referendum" on Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's leadership.

The Election Commission said the votes, one in Perak state for a seat in the national parliament and the other for the state assembly in Kedah, would be held on April 7.

najib announce new bn perak state govt 040209 04 Analysts have also said the polls would be seen as a referendum on the BN coalition which wrested control of Perak after the opposition alliance was hit by four defections.

"It will be an opportunity for the people to make a judgement. It will definitely be a referendum on Najib's leadership as he was the architect in the illegal power grab," DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang told AFP .

"Najib should be rallying the people at the time of a global economic crisis. His action has created divisons among the people. It will be a vote on Najib's leadership," he added.

Send a message

Najib, who is also the finance minister, is expected to become prime minister after the March end annual gathering of the UMNO which leads the BN.

The BN suffered two morale-sapping parliamentary by-election defeats after polls last March.

It will be looking to prove it can claw back public support, but Lim urged voters to send a message to Najib that such a power grab "is completely unacceptable."

The ruling coalition's takeover of Perak was given the thumbs-down by voters, according to a poll released yesterday ahead of the two by-elections.

In the general elections last March, the opposition seized control of an unprecedented five states.

The elections are also a chance for the opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat to re-assert itself after the loss of Perak, which triggered calls for Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim to quit.