Sabah BN can win with solidarity, says Najib

KOTA MARUDU: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) can win the 14th general election (GE14) if all the BN component parties showed solidarity regardless of who the candidates are.

Hence, the BN chairman said the BN machinery in Sabah should continue to work hard to achieve a clean sweep in the general election on Wednesday.

“This morning I made a visit to Keningau, before meeting the people in Beaufort and later with the people in Kota Marudu here. I saw a very encouraging and conducive atmosphere... this is a positive sign for BN.

“So I don’t see any reason that the BN cannot win on condition all the component parties jointly support whoever are contesting as candidates, because they are BN candidates.

“There is a place (seat) for PBS candidates, a place for Umno candidates and also places for other parties (component). Most importantly BN must win and form the government,” he said at a media conference after Kota Marudu parliamentary constituency meet-the-people session here yesterday.

Also present were Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, who is also PBS president and BN candidate for Tambunan state seat, PBS deputy president Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili, who is also BN candidate for Kota Marudu parliamentary seat, BN candidate for Tandek state seat Datuk Anita Baranting and BN candidate for Matunggong state seat Julita Majunki.

Najib said he focused on Sabah because he had warm ties and feelings to continue developing the state.

“Dr Mahathir did not visit Sabah because he did not get support in Sabah... this is because of his track record of 22 years (as prime minister) Sabahans will not forget, he (Mahathir) forgot but the people of Sabah will not forget.

“That’s why he (Mahathir) depends on other parties in Sabah. As the prime minister, I take a different approach and I regard Sabah as a true partner and the Sabahans need to advance to narrow the development gap between Sabah and the peninsula with the whole of Malaysia to be considered a developed nation in the near future,” he said.

Asked on the Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan), Najib said a national party such as BN was much better than a local party like Warisan.

“Better we support national parties because if we sail far across the oceans, we need big vessels, not sailing boats (that may not reach the destination). We need a big and strong party like BN.

“It is not about sentiments but who can determine our future that is better and not merely promises. When we want a job, we can make all kinds of promises but most of the promises are false or may not be fulfilled as they (Warisan) don’t have absolute power... absolute power only stems from big ruling parties at the national level,” he added. - Bernama