KOTA KINABALU: The 14th general election (GE14) can be held this year as long as all those involved are ready for it, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan, said.
“If the opposition is agreeable to it, the election can be held and if it is done, it means that the Barisan Nasional (BN) and the Opposition are ready,” Abdul Rahman, who is also BN strategic communications director, said.
Abdul Rahman, who was met at SRJK(C) Kota Belud Pesta Angpau and Academic Excellence Award program on Saturday night said that in the country’s history, election is usually held within four years.
“So, if the Opposition agrees, it will end all speculations as to when the election would be held,” he said when asked about talks of an early election for Sabah.
According to the Kota Belud member of parliament, BN has been working non-stop for the past four years, especially among the grassroots.
“And we want to go back to the rakyat for them to give a strong signal to the BN government to continue governing the country and Sabah because the state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman has plans for the state for the next 10 years,” he said.
“As the opposition has said that they are ready then let’s do it. I am of the opinion that we need to return the mandate to the rakyat and we make it a new mandate because we have many more programs to be implemented,” he pointed out.
Abdul Rahman also took the opposition to task for being focussed on who is going to be Prime Minister and Chief Minister. This, he said, he garnered from the Opposition’s statements in the media.
None of the statements and responses are policy based, whether education, economy, social and security, he said, adding: “All we hear is that they want to form the state government and who will be Prime Minister and Chief Minister.
“So how can the rakyat vote for the opposition when they do not even know what their policies are. I am also disappointed with the way the opposition tries to garner support, which is through spreading lies and slander against their opponents.
“I want to inform the opposition that if you want to win the hearts of Sabahans, you need to inform the rakyat of your policies in economy, social, education and security as well as what will they do that is different from what BN is doing and has done.
“As a BN leader, we will look at the policies and talk about them. That way we will have healthy politics and develop the country. But to garner votes by slandering your opponent is not matured politics. They should say ‘vote for me because I am better than my opponent. These are my policies’,” Abdul Rahman said.
He added that the relationship among the component parties is good and any problems they may have are settled at the liaison committee level.