KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Barisan Nasional has been informed that certain groups are misleading aspiring candidates that they have been given green light by the Prime Minister or the Chief Minister to stand in the 13th general election.
Sabah BN secretary Dato Abdul Rahman Dahlan yesterday disclosed that these groups are going around claiming they have been given the prerogative to choose candidates for the Barisan Nasional.
They have been telling aspiring and incumbent YBs alike, that they will be either chosen or dropped as candidates in the next general election.
“This has unnecessarily created the feeling of animosity and discord among the local leaders. It is not good especially when the general election is just around the corner when BN wants all its local leaders to be united and to minimize friction amongst them,” he said in a statement yesterday.
“Through my experience as the chief political secretary to the Chief Minister in the election year of 2004, I know for a fact that the rights of selecting Umno candidates rest solely with the Barisan Nasional national chairman (the Prime Minister) after final extensive consultations with the Barisan Nasional Sabah chairman (the Chief Minister).
“And in the case of Barisan Nasional component parties’ candidates, the respective presidents will also be throroughly consulted by the Prime Minister before deciding.
“Therefore, those who claim have been given green light by the Prime Minister or the Chief Minister to choose candidates are misleading the public and they must stop this at once before the existing strong unity is affected,” said Abdul Rahman.
Sabah Barisan Nasional has also been informed of certain groups who have been giving misleading information to the leadership with regards to political reading and situation in various constituencies. Their sole purpose is to undermine certain individuals whom they try to discredit. “Their biased reports betray their own vow to give independent assesment to the leadersip. Sabah Barisan Nasional knows who these groups are and is watching their steps carefully,” he added.