ALOR SETAR (May 10): In a surreal moment over the fall of seven states in Peninsular Malaysia to Pakatan Harapan, Kedah among them has wrested 18 out of 36 state seats, a win that was alluded to its chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's influence over voters.

"I think he's a factor not just in Kedah but for the rest of the country, He pulled all four parties together, to some extent Parti Warisan Sabah, which is on the fringes of Pakatan. So he's rather a big factor in Kedah, being a contestant himself in Langkawi, and being one of us. He played quite a big role in giving the people the right confidence on forming government at state level," said state Pakatan chief Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mohamad.

Mahathir broke Barisan Nasional's 60-year cycle on Langkawi when he scored a majority of 8,893 votes by polling 18,954 votes to two-term incumbent Datuk Nawawi Ahmad (10,061 votes) and Zubir Ahmad from PAS (5,512 votes). 

Overall in Kedah, the coalition took home 12 more state seats this general election compared to 2013 under the previous Pakatan Rakyat government where fellow PAS  got nine seats but this time raked in 15 seats. In comparison, Barisan Nasional retained only three seats in this polls from a resounding 21 seats in 2013.

For Parliament, Pakatan won 10 out of 15 seats contested. Mukhriz beat his friend Datuk Othman Aziz and PAS' Abdul Ghani Ahmad by a majority of 5,866 votes while his state seat Jitra saw him polling 18,852 votes against his two opponents with a majority of 10,849 votes. 

Speaking in a press conference late last night, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) deputy president Mukhriz, who could not hide his jubilance, said though he heaved a sigh of relief for finally seeing the coalition's dream come true, it remained hopeful of winning and worked on a basis of optimism.

"You don't go in thinking you are going to lose. We were surprised by the outcome but more by the fact PAS won more seats than we thought they could. We were not surprised Umno and BN would lose that many seats but we thought we could win more compared to PAS but that's the reality of things," he said.

He contended that there were seats that they thought they could win but lost amid seats they secured with bigger majority.

The 54-year-old third son of Mahathir however, took cognisance that when the people vote, `they never make a mistake' and had made the right choice.

Having said that, doubts abound as to whether Pakatan's simple majority balanced thinly on the possibility of a hung government, seeing that PAS' seats were assumably high and could tip equation.

In addition, Mukhriz said as PPBM came from Umno, it still has many friends there.

"As you can see very clearly now, nothing is impossible in politics. They have just lost the federal government and that is a huge dramatic event. I'm pretty sure they are in a state of shock. So give them a little bit more time. Maybe a day and a half, and then we'll see whether we can persuade them to join the coalition or something," he said.

But he warned that there was a need to work fast to curtail the risk of PAS collaborating with BN although he felt it was unlikely.

"Still, we accept that there is that risk and we shouldn't delay too long. We still think as one solid unit. Pakatan is the one that should be given the right to form a government," he added.

He noted that despite winning, the coalition would take seriously some of the reports received about irregularities in vote counting, and that the Election Commission is one of the agencies that would need serious reforms.

Mukhriz was once the Menteri Besar for the state from 2013 to February 2016 when the former Umno leader was forced to resigned after an internal party disagreement over alleged 1Malaysia Development Bhd funds with former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Asked if he felt vindicated following that incident, he explained that he was not the type to gloat, and such things come and go, so the coalition would be careful about what happens next.

On whether he would re-assume the MB post, he said the matter was being discussed in depth in the state level and that there were names suggested but that it would be revealed soon.