PM: Win over the 'persuadables'
Published on: Friday, January 19, 2018
Kota Kinabalu: Prime Minsiter cum BN Chairman Datuk Sri Najib Razak said Barisan Nasional (BN) loyalists must target "persuadable voters" in order to assure a comfortable victory in the coming 14th General Elections. Urging those present to "leave no stone unturned", he said he agreed with Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman that BN must plan to be successful and take action to be successful and do whatever that needs to be done until the closing of voting…then it can be said that its work is complete. "We must see how our current position can be improved. One of the winning factors is ability of our election machinery. The opposition here are not as strong as us machinery-wise. We have the machinery strength at each division and parliamentary level.
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"What we need to do is find groups which we can categorise as 'persuadable' voters. We must identify at the parliamentary and State level who are these voters. "Thus if we depend only on our members then there is not enough to guarantee a comfortable victory. "Thus we need to work hard to find these persuadable voters," he said in his speech at a dinner gathering with BN Sabah, Thursday.
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"We do not want anything less than 22 out of 25 (Parlimentary seats) and must be more than 48 out of 60 (State Assembly Seats). Let us continue our struggle but do not be arrogant, be humble and be with the people." Najib said there is another element here where if I view the breakdown of voters in the State, there are some areas where we won with under 1,000 votes.
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"When I see the new voters reaching 6,000 to 7,000 which is larger than our winning majority… we know the tendency of these new voters. Towards which direction they will throw their votes.""If towards us Alhamdulilah, and if we are not sure, if we call them up and they say 'we are uncertain' yet and we put them under undecided voters then we need more engagement with them."Use our various channels that were set up including Wanita of Jentera Jalinan Rakyat Plus (JR Plus) (under Wanita BN) to identify voters including those voters that cannot be "identified/detected"."I say this because I don't want us to assume that victory is at hand, we must not take anything for granted. I agree with Musa that when we face the elections we cannot take things for granted."He said for example an Assemblyman must know whether the rakyat is satisfied with their performance. "This is one of the yardsticks. We may think we are doing a good job but that is not certain because the ones who judge us are the voters."So we must look at ourselves if we are the Assemblyman who can bring additional support for the party and not an assemblyman that depends on the party. In other words, you win because of BN. You must contribute instead to the winning of BN."He said there is no reason BN can't achieve a big win in GE14. "We have many (factors) on our side. We have a government who has a proven track record. "Our BN track record success include stabilising the politics in Sabah, creating a harmonious and peaceful situation and transforming Sabah and securing safety in the State."If there are any shortages or weaknesses, I have given my guarantee that we would relook at the Malaysia Agreement 63, if we have "inadvertently" taken away the powers and rights of Sabahans. I am willing to return it back to the people of Sabah."He said as such there is no reason BN's narrative, manifesto and war cry can lose to the opposition. "What more we never say we promise (anything) while the opposition make and sell promises. We have already proven our ability to deliver to the people." He said various projects are on the ground including for dilapidated schools, Pan Borneo Highway, rural development projects. "God willing we will add more allocations to the State. Even just now I received a request worth RM8.5 million to upgrade the Donggongon Tamu in Penampang. Tan Sri Joseph Kurup also has met me with a list to be announced tomorrow."Even when I was seated just now the President of LDP was asking for allocations for Sandakan. All these I have approved because I am committed to develop the State. "I don't say this simply as political rhetoric when elections are near but ever since I was PM until today I am consistent."The opposition are those who are consistently inconsistent while I am consistently consistent to see the development gap be closed between the State and Peninsular."He urged voters to give BN the mandate for this to be a reality. "We are also planning 30 years ahead (TN50). Can a 93-year-old man be the face of the future of Malaysia? I don't have to say anything else. If you use your mind you will know the answer."This election is an election not for them to win but for us to lose. If anything (untoward) happens is because of our own weaknesses and we didn't do our work and we are not as popular as we think we are or we are not united."However I believe BN Sabah is ready, committed and united to bring us towards success.Earlier Chief Minister cum BN Sabah Chairman Tan Sri Musa Aman said the BN Sabah General Elections preparations were at a high level of readiness at all levels, including divisional and grassroots. He said nothing was taken for granted and they would continue to go down to ground to meet the people to explain to them the government's agenda and development to the people.He said Najib has given big project allocations to the State including SICC, Pan Borneo Highway , Tg Aru Eco Development Project, allocations for schools in the state.Thus he said that is the reason they supported Najib and BN for the benefit of the people and the state. He urged all present to work hard as they would be facing the 14th General Elections soon.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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