Strong cooperation in BN key to wresting back Inanam seat

KOTA KINABALU: Strong cooperation among the Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties is key to recapturing the Inanam state seat from the opposition in the coming 14th general election (GE14).

Sepanggar BN Supporters Club president Lukin Teliban said all the BN component parties in this constituency should move as a cohesive team to realise the mission.

"I envisage that in the coming GE14, BN has a good chance of wresting back the Inanam seat. What is important is that the effort to win the support of voters must be carried out together by all the BN component parties, irrespective of the candidate chosen to contest the seat.

"Solid cooperation is vital in ensuring victory for the BN candidate fielded for the Inanam seat,” he told Bernama.

Inanam, one of the state seats within the Sepanggar parliamentary constituency and which used to be a BN stronghold, went to the opposition in the last general election when its candidate Dr Roland Chia from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) won the seat with a 3,202-vote majority.

On preparations in facing the coming elections, Lukin said all the BN component parties in the Sepanggar constituency had a role to play and responsibilities to shoulder to ensure a win for BN.

“If all the BN component parties' election machinery move together in tandem, it will have a big impact on BN overall. We need to be committed to the agenda of recapturing the Inanam seat,” he said.

Besides PKR, BN is also expected to face a fight from other opposition parties including Parti Warisan Sabah, Parti Cinta Sabah and Parti Maju Sabah (Sabah Progressive Party) in GE14.

In this regard, Lukin urged all BN leaders and supporters in the area to be united and struggle for the party's interests, and not work separately or in isolation.

“Contesting on a BN ticket is no guarantee of easy victory in the general election. Hence, BN component parties need to strengthen unity and avoid any internal conflict,” he said.

On the causes of BN losing the Inanam seat in the last elections, Lukin who is also the area's community development officer, said several factors could have contributed to the loss.

These included the selection and announcement on the candidate being made at the last minute, resulting in split support, as there were some dissatisfied party supporters, particularly from PBS, who gave their votes to the opposition.

“I am confident PBS can win back the seat if all concerned are united and place the party's interests above personal interests,” he said.

On the BN candidate for GE14, Lukin said it was up to the BN top leadership to decide but if possible, let the candidate be a local individual and acceptable to the people.

“However, the choice of the candidate should ultimately be accepted and together, we should help the candidate win back the Inanam seat for PBS and BN,” he added.