KUALA LUMPUR: The feeling of solidarity among the Wangsa Maju Barisan Nasional (BN) machinery was palpable.
At a meet the people's programme at Gombak Setia People's Housing project (PPR), cheers erupted whenever Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak - who is also BN chairman - introduced Wangsa Maju election candidate Datuk Seri Yew Teong Look.
Rapturous applause erupted when Najib, who is also Umno president, introduced party division chief Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Shafei Abdullah, who shared the stage with Yew.
In a speech, Najib commended the unity and high spirit present among the over 3,000 people from the parliamentary constituency here.
"I came here to test the BN machinery in Wangsa Maju. I came to the conclusion that the Wangsa Maju BN machinery is very strong and in high spirit," he said, eliciting approving applause from the packed crowd.
"Now BN is in solidarity and in a spirit of consensus (muafakat). We must have the spirit of sharing and generosity (besar hati).
"It does not matter that MCA was chosen (to contest Wangsa Maju) as it is part of BN. If it had been Umno, it is still part of BN. If it had been MIC, it is still part of BN.
"With this consensus on May 9 (GE14 polling day), Putrajaya would be ours," he said.
Najib noted that there was great discipline and proper aspect in Umno, where the party enjoys strength all the way to the branch level and enjoying close cooperation with BN component parties like MCA, MIC, Gerakan, and People's Progressive Party (myPPP).
"We are a party that is properly constituted, structured, and disciplined. None of our (BN) candidates were disqualified (on Nomination Day for the 14th General Election or GE14)," he said.
Najib said this is in contrast to the opposition, where several snafus took place during nomination day on Saturday such as Wangsa Maju PKR candidate Datin Paduka Tan Yee Kew's nearly being disqualified for forgetting to bring her Identification Card (IC)
"We are tired with the opposition, where they may serve only for one term (in a constituency) then run (to another constituency for GE14), or they are dropped (from contesting the same constituency).
"They also choose someone who forgets to bring IC (Tan). Almost got disqualified from contesting. Many opposition candidates were disqualified. They do not even know how to fill (nomination) forms," Najib said.
He also noted that opposition party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) had their registration cancelled (by the Registrar of Societies) due to not having conducted meetings at the branch and division levels.
Also present was Federal Territories Umno secretary Datuk Seri Syed Ali Alhabshee.
On April 29, BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor declared both Umno and MCA as having reconciled over issues involving dissatisfaction of BN component parties in Wangsa Maju and Bandar Tun Razak on the candidate selection for GE14.
Three days earlier, Tengku Adnan said the BN machinery in Wangsa Maju had been taken over by Umno and BN Federal Territories after the leadership in the area failed to cooperate in GE14 preparation.
The decision was made through a letter dated April 24 which Tengku Adnan sent to Shafei.
Tengku Adnan had received reports that Umno members wanted to sabotage MCA and its candidate who was selected to contest in the area.
However on April 27, Shafei announced that he would lead the party's machinery in Wangsa Maju to help MCA's Yew.
Yew would face a three-cornered fight against PKR's Tan and Pas' Razali Tumiran.
In the 13th General Election (GE13), Shafei contested the Wangsa Maju seat but lost to PKR candidate Dr Tan Kee Kwong by a 5,511 vote majority.