Padang Rengas MP Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz has been revealed as the new BN secretary-general.
“Yes, I am the new secretary-general, as announced by Datuk Seri Zahid. I was informed about it three months ago,” he said.
He has announced that the coalition is likely to change its name and rebrand itself in order to create a new political dynamic.
“We need to be brave and courageous, just like what Tun Abdul Razak did after the 1969 general election. The Alliance Party was renamed and rebranded as Barisan Nasional. It was well-received,” he said in a brief phone interview.
Nazri was responding to Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s proposal to change its name and rebrand the coalition, in a bid to win the next general election.
“I agree with him that we should change the name and rebrand ourselves,” Nazri said.
“Umno in Sabah is no longer in the ruling government. It has also joined Gabungan Bersatu Sabah (GBS). Barisan does not exist in Sabah anymore.
“Just like Pakatan Harapan. It was previously Pakatan Rakyat. We should sit down and discuss it, to create a new political dynamic.
“We will start engaging with other component parties in Barisan and then followed by other parties,” Nazri said.
The former tourism minister takes over from Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, who held the position of secretary-general since 2009.
Previously, it was reported that Zahid had offered the position to Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin, who had turned it down.
Barisan shrank from 13 parties to five after GE14 with Umno, MCA, MIC, myPPP and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah.
It was reported earlier that Sabah Barisan Nasional is cobbling together a fresh coalition called GBS, in anticipation of a High Court decision on Tan Sri Musa Aman’s petition that he is the rightful Chief Minister.
Representatives from the component parties comprising Sabah Umno, Parti Bersatu Sabah, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR Sabah) as well as independent candidates, came together Wednesday (Oct 24) to announce the new alliance that has yet to be registered.
Meanwhile, in June, all four Sarawak Barisan component parties namely PBB, SUPP, PRS and PDP, have left the coalition following the May 9 polls.