UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan pointed out that as long as Barisan Nasional continues to use the proven effective 'ABCDE' formula from the previous 5 by-elections, there is confidence in reclaiming the Kedah state government in the next general election.
He said the 'ABCDE' formula stands for Activities (Aktiviti), Unity (Berpadu), Candidate (Calon), Data, and Emotion (Emosi).
“This method refers to ongoing activities, integrating all campaign mechanisms, selecting the best candidates, accurately mastering important data, and managing the stabilization of voter emotions.”
He said the formula helped them win in Tioman Island, Pelangai in Pahang, Nenggiri in Kelantan, Machap in Johor, and Air Kuning in Perak. If the formula continues to be executed seriously, he believes it can lead to success not only in by-elections but also in state and even general elections nationwide.
“I hope the wave of victory can spread to Kedah, because in politics, nothing is impossible. Look at Tun Mahathir, who contested and won in the Langkawi seat during the 14th general election but couldn’t even retain his deposit in the 15th general election.”
He stated this to the media after inspecting the Kedah State Construction Industry Development Board on Monday.
Furthermore, regarding the loss in the Sungai Buloh by-election, Ahmad Maslan said that voter emotions are crucial in every election.
“In Sungai Buloh, voter emotions were affected by several issues, such as the pardon appendix, the BlackRock issue, and diesel subsidies.”
He said, in contrast, the voter emotions in Air Kuning were more stable, which contributed to their victory. Therefore, maintaining the stability of voter emotions is critical for the future.