PM: Only winnable candidates

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CENTRE OF ATTENTION: People crowding around Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Chief Minister Pehin Sri Taib Mahmud as they sit down for drinks at the Sibu Central Market yesterday morning.

Najib warns state BN leaders not to let personal feelings mar choice of candidates

KUCHING: Barisan Nasional party leaders in the state have been cautioned against nominating party members they favour for the coming election at the expense of more winnable candidates who are not in their good books.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who made the call at a BN dinner hosted by Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud at his residence at Demak Jaya last night stressed that state BN component parties must nominate only the most winnable candidates. “Please give only winnable candidates and I want only winnable candidates.

I don’t want your favourite persons to be candidates,” he said.

The prime minister pointed out that it was pointless for party presidents to strengthen their position in the party but lose the parliamentary or state elections.

“Sometimes we think that winning party elections is more important than winning elections. So we put up candidates who could strengthen our positions in the party.

But at the end of the day the BN doesn’t win. “Then we cannot form the government. So if we cannot form a government, then what’s the point of being a president of a party?

That doesn’t make any sense because you are only shooting yourself in the foot,” he said.

He added that only by winning the next general election would the BN be able to form the next federal government. “If we can form the federal government, I will be able to help Sarawak develop.

And I want Sarawak to develop. “And I want to continue to do more for Sarawak just like the previous prime ministers did for Sarawak because it has huge potential and I can see there is so much we can do for Sarawak. But we need the mandate from the people,” he said.

Najib also stressed that the present government which had been in power for the last 50 years must not lose its focus in serving the people.

“We should remain focussed in serving the people. By serving the people they will have the confi dence and elect us to form the government.

That’s the essence of parliamentary democracy,” he said.

People of Sarawak will suffer if BN loses federal government in the coming election — PM

He  believed that the people of this country still need the BN to lead it to face the future.

“I cannot see the opposition do what we can for the people of Malaysia.”

The prime minister warned that the people of Sarawak would suffer if BN lost the federal government in the coming election.

Najib also advised the leaders to continue to serve the people in humility and hard work.

On another note, Najib was confident that Taib would be able to deliver for the BN in the coming general election.

Earlier, the chief minister pointed out that there was no point to have a change for the sake of it without benefiting the people.

The chief minister who is also the state BN chairman questioned the ability of the opposition leaders to lead the country.

“I myself feel they can’t rule the country. I am sorry to say that. I am old in the game and believe me, there is none of them who can plan for a better future for this country,” he added.