Change of government unlikely
Political analysts believe BN will retain power in next election, state BN confident of retaining all seats
KUCHING: Director of Asia Institute of University of Tasmania Prof James Chin believes that Barisan Nasional ( BN) will win the 14th general election ( GE14) as the decisive and majority votes would still come from the rural areas, opined the.
“The battle of the GE14 is decided by the rural Malay voters and East Malaysia. So, ( Prime Minister Datuk Seri) Najib ( Tun Razak) can depend on them to win the election,” Chin told The Borneo Post yesterday.
His view is shared by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak ( Unimas)’s political analyst Assoc Prof Dr Jeniri Amir who pointed out that even though there were many issues plaguing Najib’s administration, the middle
The battle of the GE14 is decided by the rural Malay voters and East Malaysia. So, (Prime Minister Datuk Seri) Najib (Tun Razak) can depend on them to win the election. Prof James Chin, director of Asia Institute of University of Tasmania
class voters in the urban areas would not be able to change the tide.
“I believe the BN can still retain the federal government in the GE14 as the majority of the voters are in the rural areas where most seats are located nationwide.”
However, Jeniri stressed that even if the BN were to be returned to power, Umno would pressure its president to step down.
“As for the date, I predict that it would be held sometime in September after the Malaysia Day celebration on Sept 16 as enough preparation would have been done by then,” he said.
According to state BN secretarygeneral Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, BN Sarawak would be able to defend its 25 seats and perhaps able to wrest three seats from the opposition.
“We’re confident of retaining all our seats and perhaps, recapture at least three more seats,” he said, adding that the BN election machinery was still very much intact as it had just held its state election in May this year.
Cur rent ly out o f the 31 parliamentary seats in Sarawak, 25 are held by BN, five under DAP and one under PKR.
Deputy Chief Minister and PRS president Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing pointed out that BN would be able to win the GE14 as long as Sarawak and Sabah remained as BN ‘fixed deposit’.
“We will remain BN’s ‘ fixed deposit’ as long as its ‘interest’ is good and generates good income; and its administration caters for all Malaysians regardless of race and religion.
“So far it has been good and fair to all Malaysians. Sarawak and Sabah are on good stead. Don’t change the manners of governing this country. It has worked over the last 53 years. There is no reason why it can’t continue to work for the next 50 years,” said Masing.
The deputy chief minister added that his party would be able to deliver the six seats allocated to his party.
SUPP president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said even though the state election was over, the campaigning continued.
“Yes, we are ready for GE14. Sarawak BN will deliver better than GE13,” he assured all.
Deputy Chief Minister and PBB senior-vice president Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said BN could still form the next federal government based on its good track record in governing the country for the past 53 years.
Meanwhile, United People’s Party ( UPP) said it would be fully prepared for GE14.
“Our people have been and will continue to be fully engaged with the ‘ rakyat’ ( people). This is evidenced by the setting up of UPP Community Service Boards in the South, Central and North of Sarawak. The UPP Southern Zone Community Service Board has been launched and wil l provide services to the people immediately,” said UPP secretarygeneral George Lo.
He reiterated that UPP would continue to assist the needy and underprivileged students in the state through its education fund.
“UPP will seek allocation of seats where we are confident of winning for BN. Our main strength will be in the central region where UPP is represented by Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh in Bawang Assan and Datuk Tiong Thai King in Dudong, as well as the areas where UPP is represented by Datuk Dr Jerip Susil ( Mambong), Dato Ranum Mina ( Opar) and Dr Johnichal Rayong ( Engkilili).”
Lo stressed that the party had faith and trust in the wisdom of the prime minister and the chief minister to pick the most winnable candidates.
“As such, there is no reason to think that UPP members will not be selected as BN direct candidates for GE14,” stressed Lo.
However, state DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen said the opposition would also have a fair chance in winning the election.
“Pakatan Harapan has been focusing on issues rather than BN, which is always playing the racial game. As what prime minister has said that Umno should be careful of a DAP-led government should the BN lose the election, he is obviously playing the fear tactic,” he said.
Chong – also the national DAP vice- chairman – pointed out that whichever camp won, the majority of the MPs would still be Malays as they formed the majority in the country.
“So the fear tactic used by the BN could backfire if the people could see how the country has been run all this while, with countless scandals such as the 1MDB. So we will continue to focus on issues which could improve the livelihood of the people and the country as a whole,” said Chong, who is Bandar Kuching MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman.
He said the most number of seats the DAP could contest in would be 60 out of the 222 parliamentary seats.
Meanwhile, Najib had indicated during the Umno general assembly on Thursday that GE14 would be held sooner rather than later, and urged party members to get ready.
In GE13, which was held in May 2013, BN retained its power by winning 132 seats.