Think before you choose opposition — Raymond

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Raymond Tan Shu Kiah has urged the Chinese community here to think at length before deciding to vote for the opposition in the 14th general election.

He pointed out that the opposition as in the last general election made numerous promises which sounded so sweet, that even former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir became worried that they could not be realised.

"This is where the people need to think. Do we want to change the government while the government that we want to choose don't even know what they are going to do?

“Or take a stand that Barisan Nasional, despite being attacked on all sides with various propaganda and had strove to ensure that the people remain secure and can carry on with their life smoothly, be maintained?

"Based on the choices available, the peace loving Chinese community would make the right choice... our choice is a good government, that is, Barisan Nasional,” he told Bernama.

Raymond who is also Gerakan vice president said BN has an advantage because it had carried out its responsibility to the best of its ability as compared to the empty promises of the opposition.

Meanwhile, the Tanjung Papat incumbent is banking on the people in his and Elopura constituency which was also held by Gerakan to return the seats to the party as well as those under BN as a reflection of their desire for continuity of the services rendered to them over the years.

"There have been numerous programmes, and various aids given to the people. I did a census once in the villages. I asked one resident, ‘mak cik, did you get any assistance from the government?' She replied, ‘which assistance, Datuk?'

"I had to take out and show the list for her to identify which government assistance she was getting and which ones she had not received,” recalled Raymond.

He is confident that his party would get between 35 and 40 percent of the Chinese votes in GE14, and higher than in GE13.