KUALA LUMPUR: Perikatan Nasional (PN) believes it can improve on its performance in the 15th General Election (GE15) if all political parties are given a level playing field in the next polls.
Its chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said PN's confidence was based on assessments by researchers and political analysts who had studied electoral figures and engaged with voters on the ground.
However, the Terengganu Menteri Besar acknowledged that no political coalition could be certain of winning GE16.
"Nobody can say for sure whether they can win the next general election or not, be it the current political party that leads the federal government or ourselves," he told reporters at the SG4 Business and Economic Forum 2026 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre today.
Samsuri said PN believed its chances would improve if all parties could compete fairly, without undue interference from the authorities.
"We are pretty confident that, given the level playing field opportunity, time is ours," he said.
Asked to clarify, he reiterated that a fair contest would give PN a better chance of improving on its GE15 performance.
"This is the kind of democracy we want in our country. We want a level playing field for each political party to contest in the election," he said.
On whether he would take on a leadership role in Putrajaya if PN formed the next federal government, Samsuri said no decision had been made.
"We haven't decided on that yet. So we'll come to that when the time comes," he added.
Asked whether he had personal ambitions to assume a leadership position, Samsuri described it as a difficult question to answer.
He said political leaders should be prepared to shoulder greater responsibilities when given the opportunity.
"Given the opportunity or the responsibility, you need to take up any challenge for that matter and be open about it. If the time comes for you, then it's yours," he said.
Reflecting on GE15, Samsuri likened PN's performance to winning a battle but losing the war, as the coalition failed to form the federal government despite making electoral gains.
He said PN hoped to turn the outcome around in GE16, adding that the coalition would decide on its leadership when the time came.
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