KUCHING, May 5: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg is confident that Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) would be able to win 28 seats in the coming parliamentary election (GE14).
He said out of the six seats currently occupied by the opposition, Sarawak BN could win back three, but did not disclose which ones.
The six opposition parliamentary seats are Bandar Kuching, Stampin, Sarikei, Lanang, Sibu and Miri.
When asked on which three of the six seats the state BN could win through its component party Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP), Abang Johari replied it would be up to the reporters to speculate but he also said that Lanang, Sibu and Miri were his prediction based on the reception when he visited those constituencies.
In Sibu for example, he said, SUPP candidate Andrew Wong and his father Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh has been working diligently with SUPP despite the senior being in SUPP splinter party United People’s Party (UPP).
“This is good sign we can win back seats there from the opposition,” said Abang Johari during a dialogue with the media tonight.
He also praised SUPP’s effort for Bandar Kuching as it would be possible for the BN component to win.
“I feel we (Sarawak BN) can win three (of the six opposition) seats — two in Sibu and one in Miri. But Bandar Kuching and Stampin are also possible.
“This is because the Chinese voters have to decide. What is important is that the feedback I see from the Chinese community at those constituencies, they want continuity. They want to see us implementing our Digital Economy agenda because the younger generation seems to be receptive towards this,” said Abang Johari.
He was asked to comment on the negative perceptions of urban voters that voting for BN meant voting for caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, which could be a major drawback for the state BN’s election campaign to win urban seats.
He said this was not Sarawak BN’s concern because the issues in the peninsula did not concern Sarawakians.
“We (Sarawakians) mind our own business. We want to focus of the development of Sarawak and how to best implement them.
“That issue (urban voters shying away from Najib) is their (peninsula) problem. Not ours,” said Abang Johari.
He however said that without Najib, there would not be the Pan Borneo Highway nor other big development projects for Sarawak. — DayakDaily
