KUCHING: The Barisan Nasional (BN) machinery has made great strides in the first half of the 12-day Sarawak election campaign, reducing areas marked “grey” to 25 per cent.
BN deputy chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said these grey areas would be the primary focus in the remaining three days, with a special emphasis on closing ranks within the state BN.
Speaking exclusively to Media Prima Bhd at BN’s Sarawak election operations room, Zahid said the latest information indicated that BN was on track to “paint some of these areas white”.
“There is another 25 per cent of the areas that the BN machinery must focus on… They will go to the ground and they will be led by the prime minister (Datuk Seri Najib Razak), chief minister (Tan Sri Adenan Satem) and myself.
“We have identified and will focus on these areas and resolve internal party problems, if there are any. The process of reconciliation has been carried out and I think solutions have been reached.
“What is most important is BN’s victory, it is not about individual interest. We will not entertain the issue of disappointment after this Saturday,” Zahid said at Merdeka Palace Hotel, here yesterday.
Adenan had said on Saturday that the coalition was likely to win at least 70 of the 82 contested seats.
Zahid listed three factors that had contributed to the shift in support towards BN: Adenan’s leadership of Sarawak, the prime minister’s personal touch in grey and black areas, and the sound development projects planned for Sarawak.
“Tan Sri Adenan Satem’s characteristics make him a likeable leader and he has 53 initiatives that will transform Sarawak and its people.”
Zahid said while it was his duty to lead the election machinery in the state election, in his capacity as deputy prime minister and BN deputy chairman, it was Najib’s personal touch in less-than-white areas that had contributed to the surge in support for BN.
He said development projects that were announced under Adenan’s leadership reflected his ability to lead the state.
This, he added, was boosted by BN’s commitment to see through projects initiated by Najib and the rest of the cabinet.
“These projects are based on pledges that have been fulfilled in longhouse areas, villages, and in the interior and suburbs. The allocations were approved immediately. These factors led to a swing among many Sarawakians, including urban voters who had sided with the opposition simply because the opposition had promoted hatred towards the previous state leadership.”
Zahid also warned the state’s electorate about the opposition’s campaign of lies that would likely go into full gear now.
“They will drop one or two bombshells in the last two days of campaigning due to their desperation.
“The machinery at the state constituency and polling district levels should be careful… This is how they instil the culture of hate.
“Although Sarawakian voters rejected outright the issues from the peninsula that they are bringing over, the promotion of the culture of hate could lead to the rejection of BN candidates.”