State BN machinery ready for GE14, says Dr Rundi
KUCHING: The state Barisan Nasional's ( BN) machinery is now all geared up and ready to face the 14th General Election, which could be called anytime, says state BN secretary- general Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi.
He revealed that Prime Minister and BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak had instructed all BN component parties to crank up their machinery for the battle with the opposition.
“To be very frank with you, we are ready for the general election even if it is held tomorrow. This is because we have been instructed to get ready,” Dr Rundi said yesterday.
He added that all four state BN component parties, namely PBB, SUPP, PRS and PDP, have submitted their candidate lists to the top BN leadership.
“If the GE14 is held tomorrow, all our candidates are ready to be fielded,” he said.
When asked on the number of seats the state BN is targeting to win in GE14, Dr Rundi said, “We are confident to defend the seats which we won before and we also hope to win the six lost seats”.
Dr Rundi, who is Minister of Utilities, said to capture the six seats which the BN lost in the last general election, the BN top leadership had identified the most winnable candidates for these urban seats.
“We will field the most winnable candidates for all the 31 seats. And as in previous elections, we will work as a team so that we can secure as many seats as possible.”
However, he refused to divulge on seats which are being eyed by BN- friendly parties United People's Party ( UPP) and Teras, specifically the Saratok seat held by Teras president Tan Sri William Mawan.
“We leave that to the top BN leadership to decide,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Rundi, who is also PBB secretary- general, said his party would field a few new faces.
“But I can't reveal the details at this juncture except for Betong as its incumbent Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah has decided not to defend the seat,” he said.
In the last general election in 2013, the state BN won in 25 seats and lost six seats, namely Bandar Kuching, Stampin, Sarikei, Lanang, Sibu and Miri. All six seats belonged to SUPP.
The other three BN component parties, namely PBB, PRS and PDP, won all the seats they contested; PBB 14, PRS six and PDP four.
SUPP, which contested in seven seats, only managed to defend its Serian seat, which has been held by its deputy president Datuk Seri Richard Riot since 1990.