Malaysia's 'PBN' Coalition Name Was Informal Suggestion, Not Official

A proposed coalition name, "Perikatan Barisan Nasional" (PBN), used during the Negeri Sembilan state election campaign, was not an official designation but rather a suggestion for convenience, according to Parti Wawasan Negara Secretary-General Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah.

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What Datuk Seri Hamzah said was because some people accidentally said PN-BN or BN-PN, perhaps it is good to use a name that combines both.

Saifuddin explained that BN President Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin had put forward the name PBN during a campaign event. The intention was to simplify how the cooperation between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) was referred to by the public, especially since some had already begun using informal combinations like PN-BN or BN-PN.

"He did not say this is the official name. Just to make it easier. So he said PBN," Saifuddin stated. He emphasized that Hamzah had no ulterior motives and merely wanted Wawasan to act as a bridge to strengthen the BN-PN alliance for the state election and potentially the upcoming 16th General Election.

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He did not say this is the official name. Just to make it easier. So he said PBN.

Echoing this, BN Chairman Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed that the suggestion was made during a campaign speech and had not been formally discussed. He added that any move to make it an official name would require further deliberation.

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The proposal was only mentioned in a campaign speech and has never been discussed officially, and needs to be considered first if it is truly to be realized.