Sagah confident BN will win in rural areas

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Datuk Roland Sagah

Dr Annuar Rapaee

Andrew Shilling

SIBU: Tarat assemblyman Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn believes Barisan Nasional (BN) will make a clean sweep of the rural seats in the coming general election.

Despite the opposition’s claim of infiltration into the rural areas, he said people in the rural areas would still go for BN which they knew they could rely on to improve their standard of living.

“The opposition’s claim of having penetrated into the rural areas will have no significant impact on BN’s chances of victory,” he said.

Sagah, who is deputy speaker of the State Legislative Assembly, told The Borneo Post this when asked yesterday if the opposition would win in the rural areas if they put up Dayak candidates there.

“Bumiputeras are a grateful lot and they will continue to rally behind BN, which they can count on most for a better future and continuous development,” he pointed out.

Last week, DAP Sarawak secretary Chong Chieng Jen said his party was making a historic move by getting half of its candidates from the Dayak community.

Tight-lipped about their potential Dayak candidates, Chong said the party wanted to expand beyond the urban areas.

According to Sagah, the rural folk were still very much with the BN because it walks the talk and delivers whatever it has promised the people.

On another front, Sagah said the opposition would continue to politicice the 1Malaysia People’s Assistance (BR1M) though the aid was the government’s sincere assistance to the people from the lower-income group.

“The distribution is fairly executed, and there is no discrimination as some opposition leaders have claimed,” he said.

Meanwhile, Nangka assemblyman Dr Annuar Rapaee said he also believed that BN would attain a resounding victory in the general election.

He said the people would not be easily hoodwinked by the empty but sweet promises of the opposition.

On BR1M, he said: “This is the government’s commitment and sincere effort in helping the people to lessen their burden amidst a higher cost of living.”

Andrew Shilling, a political secretary to the Chief Minister, said rural folk would still support BN to ensure continuous development in their areas.

“Only BN can bring them development. And BN has its good track records,” he said.

Andrew, who heads the Bumiputra unit of SUPP Sibu branch, figured that those Dayaks who were said to have crossed over to the opposition would pose no threat to BN.