SEBERANG JAYA: "Try and wrestle back Penang from Pakatan Harapan."
This was Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's message to state Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders during an hour-long closed door meeting at The Light Hotel here this morning.
State Barisan Nasional secretary Datuk Omar Faudzar said the Barisan Nasional chairman and Umno president also reminded them that they are the underdogs in the coming 14th general election.
"The prime minister is very happy with what we have been doing. However he wants us to work even harder.
"He told us to get ready and to try to win back the state," he told the New Straits Times after the meeting.
It is understood that during the meeting, Najib was briefed on issues in Penang and also on BN’s contributions thus far, for the state.
When approached, state Gerakan deputy chairman Oh Tong Keong said Najib had asked them to continue to go down to the ground to serve the people.
"The prime minister says we must be with the people and do what is best for them.
"He wants us to take care of the people," he added.
Asked if there were any specific talks on GE14, Ong replied in the negative.
Najib is in town today for a half-day visit with back-to-back programmes with the people.
He arrived at 10.40am, accompanied by state BN chairman Teng Chang Yeow and state Umno chairman Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin.
After the meeting, Najib joined more than 20,000 people for a luncheon in an event billed as 'Jamuan Kenduri Bersila Bersama Rakyat' at Padang Politeknik Seberang Prai in Permatang Pauh, the stronghold of PKR.
After the luncheon, Najib headed to the Subterranean Penang International Convention and Exhibition (SPICE) Arena on the island to launch the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) Development Blueprint 2016-2025 (Blueprint 2.0).
Before leaving, Najib visited the JKP Sdn Bhd's medium-cost housing project, Casa Anggun, in Sungai Nibong.