Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi
SIBU: Any Barisan Nasional (BN) or BN-friendly party members who contest against BN candidates in the state polls will not be accepted into the coalition’s fold even if they win, says state BN secretary-general Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi.
He rubbished claims stating otherwise and pointed out that BN component parties and BN-friendly parties must stop their members from doing so.
“I would like to remind all BN component parties and also BN-friendly parties — UPP (United People’s Party) and Teras (Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak) — that they must refrain all members from standing as independent candidates against BN candidates. We want to face the opposition as one united force.
“BN will not entertain any independent candidates, even if they win the election. They will not be accepted into BN’s fold and any such personalities or their supporters spreading news about their acceptability into BN upon winning their respective seats are mere lies,” Dr Rundi said in a press statement yesterday.
Recently, SPDP founding member Dr Roland Dom Mattu quit the party and voiced his intention to contest as an independent in Mulu.
BN will field direct candidate Datuk Gerawat Gala in the constituency, while the DAP had announced it would field Paul Raja.
Former UPP Batu Kawah chairman Liu Thian Leong, who resigned from the party, also announced that he would contest as an independent.
Standing for BN in Batu Kawah would be SUPP president Senator Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, while the DAP would field Christina Chiew to defend the seat.
Meanwhile, Dr Rundi said he supported former Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) president Larry Sng’s decision not to contest in Bukit Goram.
Sng had said he made the decision because he would not be able to service the people the way he did when he was with the BN.
“At least Larry is honest and has admitted that only BN can bring in development and changes, especially in the rural areas, because it (BN) has enough numbers and power to do so,” said Dr Rundi.
“That is why I am appealing to Sarawakians to reject the opposition, including independents so as not to jeopardise their pace of development and transformation.”
He said state BN, especially under the leadership of Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem, had the support from the majority of Sarawakians.