KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties are urged to stop depending on status quo when it comes to seat allocations ahead of the 14th General Election (GE14).
Selangor Umno liaison committee chairman Tan Sri Noh Omar said this was one of the important messages laid out by BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak to all component parties during a pre-GE14 election machinery meeting at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) today.
He said the prime minister also stressed on the importance of unity and tolerance among the component parties in ensuring the coalition's victory in GE14.
Noh said Najib pointed out that in GE14, the seat allocations will be based on winnable candidates which is different from the past three general elections where all seats contested were based on status quo.
"If we want to win, we need to give and take. We can't contest based on status quo but it must be based on the BN's principle. If this one seat previously belonged to a certain party, it does not mean the party will own it forever.
"It is time to make a change. We have to look at winnable seats and whether or not the people can accept (the candidate).
"Basically, to win GE14, we need the BN spirit and learn to share the power," Noh told the media the gist of Najib's speech after the prime minister left the event.
The aim of the pre-GE14 meeting was to coordinate the effectiveness of the machinery on the ground. This will be the final meeting BN had before facing the general election.
According to Noh, Najib had also told the component parties from the peninsula to learn about tolerance from other BN component parties in Sabah and Sarawak.
"In Sabah and Sarawak, there are more parties so that will be a good model for other component parties in the peninsula to learn from.
"We need a reminder that we will not be strong if we just uphold our own party. We need to adjust according to the demands of GE14."
Umno's Sungai Besar Member of Parliament Budiman Mohd Zohdi said, Najib in his speech had also mentioned on the importance of BN achieving the two-third majority in the Parliament.
"To me, it is our hope that we can get the two-third majority. This is very important for us to achieve," he said.
Gerakan Federal Territory liaison committee chairman Datuk Lau Hoi Keong said Najib, who is also Umno President, had emphasized on integrity and cooperation among component parties.
He said, Najib's speech had managed to instill the fighting spirit among those in attendance.
"The chairman also reminded all of us to not be extreme and racist in our remarks because we are diversified in unity," he said.