Bung and BN candidate Syed Hussien at Taman Matahari, the polling center for Kampung Tengah, Kluang, on Wednesday night.
KOTA KINABALU (Sept 26): The wave of Barisan Nasional’s (BN) victory in the Nenggiri and Mahkota by-elections will be carried forward to face the upcoming 17th State Election in Sabah.
Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Panglima Bung Moktar Radin stated that the victories in both by-elections present a positive image for Umno/BN to rise in line with the party’s transformation, including opportunities for young candidates.
“BN’s success in Nenggiri and subsequently in Mahkota can certainly boost the morale of the Unity Government, demonstrating the effectiveness of their coalition and proving their ability to win in challenging seats.
“For us in Umno/BN Sabah, the success of BN in these two by-elections also represents a paradigm shift to be more confident and spirited in facing the upcoming 17th State Election in Sabah,” he said in a statement after attending an event at Taman Matahari, the polling center for Kampung Tengah, Kluang, on Wednesday night.
Also present were BN candidate Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah, Sabah Umno secretary Datuk Jafray Arifin, and Sabah Umno treasurer Datuk Seri Panglima Salleh Said.
According to Bung, BN’s significant victory in Nenggiri on August 17 and subsequently in Mahkota, provides positive momentum for the BN machinery nationwide.
“However, unlike Nenggiri, this strategy cannot be used by Sabah Umno in the upcoming 17th State Election because we have many major issues in Sabah, especially those related to basic infrastructure such as roads, clean water supply, electricity and poverty.
“The reality is that Nenggiri and Mahkota are different, but the momentum of Umno/BN’s success can be brought to Sabah,” he added.
While delivering his speech at the event, Bung remarked that the opportunity for BN to win the Mahkota by-election looks promising based on the people’s response to the BN candidate during campaigning.
“On paper, BN appears to be able to secure victory in this by-election, however, this initial assessment should not distract the party machinery from continuously engaging voters right up to the last moment before polling,” he said.
Bung also mentioned that the selection of Syed Hussien as the BN candidate this time was very appropriate as he is closer to the younger voters, who are among the largest contributors to the votes.
He emphasized that the stable administration of Johor Chief Minister Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, without major issues, instills confidence in the voters in Mahkota that the BN representative is the right choice to continue driving development in Johor.
He said local voters view the stability of the administration as a fundamental basis for their choice.
“There’s no reason for voters in Mahkota to reject BN because significant changes in development and the welfare of the people have been given attention by the state government under this leadership,” he concluded.
