GE13: Sabah BN confident of capturing two-thirds of state and parliamentary seats, say state leaders

Sabah Barisan Nasional is confident of securing more than two-thirds of the 25 parliamentary and 60 state seats up for grabs.
The state leaders believe they may be able to match the 2008 results when they only lost one parliament and one state seat to DAP.
Upko president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said his party was confident of winning all four parliament and six state seats it was contesting while Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said Barisan had solid support.
Without specifying that they were looking at a clean sweep, Musa said that they had full confidence in all the Barisan candidates.
Musa said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had contacted him early Friday enquiring about the latest situation in Sabah.
“I've told the Prime Minister that the situation in Sabah is good and stable he told me that it is good news and sends his regard to the people of Sabah,” he said.
Speaking at the meeting with the administrators of mosques in the district at Sabah Hotel here Friday, Musa reiterated that his observation was based the campaign trail throughout Sabah.
“I am thankful that in my visits that started together with the Prime Minister (last week) reception from the people was very encouraging,” he said.
He believed that the state Barisan would be able to continue maintaining political stability in Sabah that had been contributed to the rapid development enjoyed by the state all this while.
“Our state reserves are RM3 billion, the state budget is RM4.08 billion the biggest ever and we have recorded the biggest reduction of poverty rate, a double digit drop from 2009 to 2013,” he said.
In this respect, Musa said it was imperative for the existing cordial relationship between the State and Federal governments to be maintained.
“I admit there are still some shortcomings but with a strong relationship and unity among the people we can definitely overcome it,” he said.
The 400 Education Hub in Sandakan will not only house the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) campus, MRSM and Politeknik but also an Islamic College costing RM20 million, he said.
Musa said the other developments that the Sabah Barisan had been focussing on besides providing people with land was the re-development of the forest through enrichment planting.
“With new methods, we can plant more quality species of trees in one acre. These trees are not for us but it would be inherited by our future generation because within 20 to 30 years from now we might no longer be around.
“We can do so much more and we are developing the state from all aspects so what is the need to “tukar” (change)?” he asked.
Musa who is also BN candidate for Sungai Sibuga state seat also took a swipe at Umno members who ditched the party to contest as independent candidates against the Sabah such as in Libaran.
He said it had already been proven that even if the politician who was a former Umno leader won as an independent candidate he or she could not do anything to bring development to the constituency they represented.
He cited the case of a former Umno Sabah leader, Datuk John Ghani who resigned from the party and contest for the Kuala Penyu state seat two terms ago.
Despite winning the seat, he could not get development to the constituency and no Barisan component party would accept his application to re-join the coalition.
He said those who contested as an independent candidate would automatically be sacked as they were considered traitors.