JERLUN: Kedah Umno aims to wrest eight parliamentary seats from the opposition in the 15th General Election (GE15).
State Umno liaison deputy chairman Senator Datuk Othman Aziz said that based on internal studies, Barisan Nasional (BN) stood a chance at winning the parliamentary seats in rural and suburban areas.
BN held the Padang Terap and Baling parliamentary seats before Parliament was dissolved last week to make way for GE15.
"Based on our studies, we have identified eight seats in rural and suburban areas that we have chance of winning.
"The rural and suburban Malay-majority seats are Umno strongholds," he said after attending a Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd (PUNB) Corporate Social Responsibility Programme here today.
Othman, who is also the state BN deputy chairman, said MCA and MIC would contest the urban seats in Kedah.
"Through cooperation and working hard with BN components, we may have a chance to add one or two more seats, such as Alor Star and Padang Serai," he said.
Othman said BN would be fielding winnable candidates who understood the people's heart and aspirations.
"We have about 68,000 voters here (in Jerlun) and they realise that many of the things they expect from their current representatives have not been fulfilled.
"Even basic issues like water supply and natural disasters have not been resolved.
"These are related to infrastructure in the area which is not taken care of. In fact, things requested by farmers, fishermen and others are also not taken care of," he said.
Although he did not name the parliamentary seats, it is understood that Umno aims to wrest Langkawi, Jerlun, Kubang Pasu, Pendang, Jerai, Sik, Merbok and Kulim-Bandar Baharu from the opposition.
These were held by Parti Pejuang Tanah Air, Pas and PKR.
#KW: Senator Datuk Othman Aziz, Jerlun, Kedah Umno, 15th General Election, GE15, parliamentary seats, rural and suburban areas