BN sec-gen: Candidates for GE14 to be revealed seven to 10 days before nomination day
PUTRAJAYA: Barisan Nasional (BN) is expected to announce its list of candidates for the 14th general election (GE14) seven or 10 days before the nomination day on April 28, according to its secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.
However, he said BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had yet to set the announcement date.
“I expect it to be a week or 10 days before the nomination day,” Bernama quoted him telling reporters after presenting the Putrajaya Education Quality Award yesterday.
The Election Commission (EC) has set polling for GE14 on May 9, nomination on April 28, and early voting for May 5.
In Kuching, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said the names of the seven candidates from his party who will be contesting in the parliamentary election will be made known in a few days’ time.
Speaking after the launch of the Hearing, Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) and Health Screening 2018 at a shopping mall here yesterday, Dr Sim however did not disclose whether he would be one of the candidates.
“In a few days’ time, before nomination you will know,” he said, deflecting further questions if he will be contesting in Stampin.Stating that Sarawak together with Sabah and Malaya formed the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, he reminded that both Bornean states had been treated rather unfairly in terms of development and financial allocation.
“Last year, Petronas netted a profit of RM45 billion. Out of the profit, 30 per cent or RM13.5 billion came from Sarawak. Yet, we are still stuck with five per cent (royalty),” he pointed out.
Thus, he added, the state government had been pursuing to get back its rights on the state’s resources in order to generate income to develop the state and improve the wellbeing of her people.
“We want the money first. With the money we can do things ourselves, we share it with the three million Sarawakians and we do not need to share it with the 30 million other Malaysians,” he emphasised.
He added that Sarawak should not be sharing its resources when most facilities such as hospitals, schools or roads were better in the peninsular states as compared to Sarawak.
“This (May 9) is our opportunity, I definitely do not want to wait for another chance in the next 55 years to turn this around,” Dr Sim stressed.