BN HEADS DISCUSSED SEAT ALLOCATION
Najib vetting MIC candidate list for GE14, says Subramaniam
BARISAN Nasional top leaders discussed the 14th General Election (GE14) during the party’s Supreme Council meeting on Wednesday night, including seat allocation among BN component parties, said Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam.
The MIC president spoke to reporters during a Back To School programme organised by Wanita MIC at SJKT Simpang Lima in Kota Raja, Klang, yesterday.
He was responding to a question on the BN Supreme Council meeting at the Putra World Trade Centre.
On MIC’s candidates for the election, he said the Indian-based party had submitted several names to BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Subramaniam, who is also the health minister, said the names were still being vetted by Najib.
“We have submitted a number of names for every constituency,” he said.
On Wednesday, top BN leaders, including presidents of Umno, MCA, MIC and other BN component parties, met for about two hours to discuss preparations to face the upcoming election.
In Kuching, the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) has requested BN’s top leadership to review plans to field direct candidates in GE14.
The request was conveyed by SUPP president Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian during the special BN Supreme Council meeting.
A party insider told the New Straits Times that while SUPP was not in favour of the proposal to field direct candidates, the party had expressed its commitment to work on a reconciliation plan with its splinter party, United People’s Party (UPP).
“During the meeting, our president (Dr Sim) made it clear that SUPP opposed the idea of fielding direct candidates.
“To SUPP, fielding direct candidates does not reflect BN’s team spirit, which has long been adopted by the ruling coalition.
“We will, however, always open our doors to former leaders and members who want to return to SUPP,” said the party insider.
In the previous state election two years ago, Sarawak BN fielded 10 direct candidates to resolve the squabbling between SUPP and UPP, as well as the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (now Progressive Democratic Party), and the now-defunct Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras).
These BN direct candidates were mostly from UPP and Teras.
Direct candidates were required to resign from their respective political parties to represent BN in the 11th state polls.
“Our president had also informed the BN chairman that we were confident of wresting back parliamentary seats such as Stampin, currently held by DAP, in GE14.
“A repeat of the party’s success in the 11th state polls is possible,” the party insider said.
Dr Sim, who is also the state local government and housing minister, could not be reached for comment.
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri James Jemut Masing, who is also Parti Rakyat Sarawak president, said he missed the BN meeting due to other commitments.