Mohamad, who is BN deputy chairman and election director, said if the coalition could not win, it would be even more difficult to reclaim power at subsequent elections.

“We must win GE15. If we lose, then whoever wants to be the deputy president, please take over. I am ready,” he said at the Wanita BN convention, according to Utusan Malaysia.

Mohamad, better known as Tok Mat, said younger leaders should take over the reins if BN did not succeed at the general election.

“This is our last chance to reclaim Putrajaya,” he said. “If this is the final lap, then we need to sprint to the finishing line.”

BN lost control over the federal government in 2018, after 61 years at the helm. Pakatan Harapan (PH) took over, riding a wave of popular discontent arising from the 1MDB scandal.

Mohamad said the next general election would be very different, as BN was up against PH and Perikatan Nasional (PN). To compound matters, voters may be comfortable with the current government line-up of BN, PN and PAS.

However, he expressed confidence in a BN victory, based on its victories at state elections in Sabah, Melaka and Johor.