Bernama file photo showing the silhouette of a woman in front of a Barisan Nasional flag.
KUCHING (Apr 19): Political analyst Prof James Chin took a swipe at former lecturer Dr Mashor Hossen who opined that Barisan Nasional (BN) is set to make a comeback in Sarawak and would have a fighting chance in the next state or parliamentary election.
He said BN with its current composition of United Malays National Organisation (Umno), Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) did not even have branches or establishments in Sarawak.
“As far as I know the federal BN is not planning to contest in Sarawak, so I don’t know what this mad man (Dr Mashor) is talking about.
“So when you talk about BN, you basically talk about Umno, MCA and MIC. How can they be contesting in Sarawak and then don’t have any branches in Sarawak?” Chin told The Borneo Post when contacted.
Ex-academician Dr Mashor on April 17 said he could see the coalition’s strength in the rural areas, especially the predominantly Bumiputera constituencies.
“It is possible that BN would claim some Malay, Iban and Bidayuh-majority seats – perhaps even some urban seats as well.
“This is not impossible at all. The rural voters would only look at the BN logo, not really at the candidates. This is undeniably BN’s strength,” he said in a statement.
Mashor, who was previously associated with Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in Penang, said no one could take BN’s strength lightly.
He believed that many young people in Sarawak would join BN and this would not be a surprise.
On that note, Chin said even if by a stroke of miracle BN managed to find ways to contest in Sarawak, it would be unlikely they could win any seats in the state with their current Umno, MCA and MIC composition.
“I will go on record saying that they will get zero seats. There is no chance they can win any seat in Sarawak, BN or no BN.
“Let me make it clear, I’m talking about the current composition of BN which consists of Umno, MCA and MIC. If they come back with this present composition there is no chance (at all).
“I don’t know who this academician is,” Chin said.
Meanwhile, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice president Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said current BN leaders who have had a long history with Sarawak understood Sarawak politics well enough as not to rock the political stability in Sarawak.
“BN has a long history in Sarawak, and BN’s present leaders understand Sarawak’s politics well and are close to present Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leaders,” explained the Minister of Youth and Sports.
“I’m sure BN’s present leaders will not rock the political stability in Sarawak by contesting in the forthcoming PRN (state election).
“Just as we don’t welcome Perikatan Nasional (PN) to contest in Sarawak, we also do not welcome BN contesting in Sarawak,” he said when contacted.