Three factors - suitable candidates, strong machinery and a united BN - have to be established to ensure victory for coalition in the 14th general election (GE14), Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said this evening.

Najib, who is also BN chairperson, said the combination of the three factors was proven with the big win for BN in the Pengkalan Kubor state by-election on Sept 25.

"The candidate has to be right... choose the candidate favoured by voters," he said on the first factor while speaking at a 'Leader with the People Session: An Evening with the Prime Minister' at the Kampung Geting community service centre in Pengkalan Kubor in Tumpat, Kelantan.

Taking the example of selecting Mat Razi Mat Ail as the BN candidate in the Pengkalan Kubor by-election, Najib said Mat Razi ( seated on the right ) fulfilled the needs of voters as he had a respectable image, apart from his knowledge on religion as well as being a teacher at a private religious school.

'All BN parties must also work as a team'

Najib said the strong election machinery also contributed to the success of BN as all parties worked as a team.

He also pointed out that unity in Umno and among BN component parties without any feelings of jealousy had to be the core spirit to ensure victory for BN, and went on to stress that the formula for BN's win in Pengkalan Kubor would be the watershed for Kelantan BN in GE14.

Najib called on Kelantan BN to work harder in the effort to win the people's support for BN.

He also thanked Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Pengkalan Kubor by-election machinery director, Mustapa Mohamed, and the entire BN machinery for working hard to ensure BN is firmly rooted in the constituency.

In the Pengkalan Kubor by-election last month, Mat Razi defeated Wan Rosdi Wan Ibrahim of PAS and independent Izat Bukhary Ismail with a majority of 2,635 votes.

Also present were Mustapa, who is also Kelantan BN chief, Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan and Mat Razi.       

- Bernama