KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIAN Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said he knew why Barisan Nasional lost to the opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) in the Permatang Pasir by-election and would analyse the issues to enure it was successful in the future.

The Umno president would not elaborate on what the factors were.

'In terms of majority of votes, we have reduced it,' he told reporters when asked to comment on Barisan's defeat on Tuesday.

Datuk Najib, who is also Barisan chairman, said the ruling coalition needed to analyse the factors so the party could overcome its weaknesses.

Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Barisan would work hard to get closer to the people to win their support, adding that every by-election gave Barisan an insight into the voter's mind.

'I believe if we work harder under the leadership of Datuk Seri Najib, his policies and initiatives will slowly sink into the mind of Malaysians,' Mr Muhyiddin said at the Barisan campaign centre in Bukit Merah, Permatang Pasir on Tuesday night.

Accepting Barisan's sixth by-election defeat since the March 2008 general election, Muhyiddin said the results showed that the people were not just interested in development.

Asked to comment on the results when compared with the narrow loss in Manek Urai, Mr Muhyiddin said Permatang Pasir was PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim's area and a PAS stronghold.

He said Barisan's choice of candidate could have been a factor in the defeat as he was character-assassinated by the Opposition.

'However, towards the end, there was support for Rohaizat or else the result would have been worse,' he said. -- THE STAR