He said BN will defend Kepala Batas and Tasek Gelugor and go all out to capture Balik Pulau, Permatang Pauh and Nibong Tebal, Bernama reported.

The other three seats were won by PKR candidates in the 2018 general election.

“We will defend Kepala Batas and Tasek Gelugor. We will also try to win more than two seats — that’s BN’s target in Penang,” he said after chairing a state BN meeting today.

BN won Kepala Batas and Tasek Gelugor through Umno candidates Reezal Merican Naina Merican and Shabudin Yahaya. However, Shabudin joined Bersatu in 2020.

Balik Pulau on the island and Permatang Pauh and Nibong Tebal on the mainland were all won by PKR candidates in 2018.

Bakhtiar Wan Chik was returned in Balik Pulau and Nurul Izzah Anwar in Permatang Pauh, a seat held by her family since 1982. Nibong Tebal was won by Mansor Othman, then of PKR. He joined Bersatu in 2020.

In the 2018 general election, Pakatan Harapan grabbed the lion’s share of the 13 parliamentary seats in Penang, with DAP winning seven seats and PKR four.

Musa said the state BN machinery was ready to be mobilised when needed.

Musa, who is also state Umno chief, said the distribution of parliamentary seats in Penang had been completed and the candidates would be announced on Wednesday.