‘State BN parties work as a team’

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KUCHING: BN members not working together is a non issue in Sarawak because component parties looking out for each other had become a ‘common practice’ in the state, said PBB deputy president Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg yesterday. 

In fact, he said, this long treasured teamwork is what made the state BN clicked all this while, especially during state or parliamentary elections.

This closely knit structure was again evident during the April 16 state election, he said.
“Such a practice was the major contributing factor to the victory of BN in the last state election.

“For instance, my area Satok has 30 per cent of voters who are Chinese but SUPP and PBB work closely (during the election campaign). Likewise, we have also given strong support to SUPP in areas where the majority of voters are Bumiputeras, such as Bengoh and Opar.

“It is already a practice of the State BN…where component parties help each other. Thus, it is not an issue in Sarawak,” Abang Johari said when asked to comment on a reminder Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak gave to the Selangor BN.

Najib stressed yesterday that all BN members must fully support the coalition, regardless of the candidates chosen for the 13th general election if they wanted to recapture Selangor, which is currently governed by Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

Abang Johari, who is also Minister of Tourism and Heritage and Minister of Housing and Urban Development, however, felt that the election machinery of SUPP was “not that effective in the last state election”.

He reckoned it could have something to do with its internal affairs.

“But I’m sure with the reforms of SUPP and with the young leaders being groomed, I think SUPP can solve their problems soon,” he said.