30th June, 2010

KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said it is not the time yet to decide on the allocation of Barisan Nasional (BN) seats in Sabah for the next general election.

“I have not made any decision about anything … Leave it to me to decide what is best for Sabah,” the Prime Minister told reporters after conducting a walkabout at the Lido Market along Jalan Penampang here yesterday.

Asked about rumours that there would be a change in Sabah’s political landscape, Najib who is also BN chairman said there was a lot of politicking internally and reminded the component party leaders to concentrate on serving the people.

“There is no need to get too excited about it,” Najib added. Also present yesterday were Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman, State Cabinet Ministers and local community leaders.

“We must show we are a party that cares for the people in Sabah…that is of utmost importance,” he stressed.

Najib was also asked about the allocation of seats as there had been some bickering among the BN component parties in Sabah lately over the allocation of certain seats in the next general election.

Kalabakan Umno division head Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh had earlier been reported to have asked for the Merotai state seat to be returned to Umno because the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) which held the seat for two terms, had failed to bring any development to the constituency.

And last Sunday, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Yahya Hussin suggested that the Putatan parliamentary seat be given to an Umno candidate. The Putatan seat is currently held by Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh from UPKO.

The Prime Minister also said Sabah BN leaders have different views but expressed confidence they would not allow it to weaken the BN and would accept the leadership’s decision when the time comes.

“There may be pressure from the grassroots level, there are various views as well as demands. But we must uphold the spirit of the BN,” he said, adding that the final decision lies with the BN supreme council and the chairman.

Najib also cited the recent Hulu Selangor by-election, saying “Like in Hulu Selangor, initially there were also calls for Umno to contest but I took the decision to hold on to the BN consensus and the seat remained with the MIC”.

The Prime Minister added that although Umno did not contest, the party worked hard to ensure victory for the MIC candidate.

“Whoever contested, it must be seen as not a candidate of any component party but a BN candidate as a whole,” he said.

This, Najib stressed, was one of the factors that resulted in the success of the ruling coalition all this while.

Meanwhile, when asked what could be the reason for the lack of interest among the young people to register as voters, the Prime Minister explained that it could be due to the question of political awareness and their responsibility to vote.

According to him, about 4.3 million people were eligible to register as voters but have yet to do so.

Najib, accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, was on a one-day visit to Sabah yesterday.

(Source: New Sabah Times)