TAPAH: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today reminded all Barisan Nasional (BN) members to embrace friendship and beef up teamwork spirit to ensure victory in the upcoming 14th General Elections (GE14).
Zahid said all the party members need to maintain the spirit of tolerance too, should their traditional seats were no longer represented by the party.
"We, as a member of parliament, state assemblyman or chairman of the component party either at national, state or even parliament level, should embrace the spirit of tolerance too.
"This means, should there be places for us to compromise, we compromise... if there are places for us to defend, we defend. But for the sake of rakyat and BN's victory, we should set aside our egoes.
"Put aside our personal interests and organisations that we represent...what is important is the victory of all BN candidates," he said in his speech at the launch of BN Tapah machineries at Umno Tapah building here today.
Also present were Perak Menteri Besar who is also state BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and BN Tapah chairman who is also Tapah UMNO division chief Datuk Samsuddin Abu Hassan.
Zahid who is also BN deputy chairman said the Prime Minister who is also the BN chairman, Datuk Seri Najib Razak was also in the same page in propagating tolerance among members.
"I know during the last General Election, there was a fight...this is mine..this is mine and I should defend it...if you take my seat from me, I will kill you...serve you right if you lose...but they did not realise that it served them right when they lost the seat," he said.
Zahid added that one of the factors that contributed to the loss of BN in the seat during the last general elections was due to the fight of the traditional seat.
"That is why in Tapah, I'm very proud because when the election comes, we can work together to ensure that BN wins," he said.
At the same time, Zahid also reminded the BN machinery to work hard to ensure Perak could win more than two-thirds majority at the state assembly level so that it could be emulated at the parliamentary level.
"Our aim in Perak, under the leadership of Zambry is that we want to win two-thirds majority of the state assembly seats because I believe with the increased number of voters and seats at the parliamentary level, it can be emulated at the parliamentary level itself.
"As such, the spirit of tolerance and compromise at the national, state and parliament level can strengthen the party and we can win," he added. Additional reporting by Muhammad Apendy Issahak dan Zahratulhayat Mat Arif.