Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) Chairman Datuk Bung Moktar Radin said the victory of BN candidate Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani carries its own significance in bringing about BN’s revival, especially in Kelantan.
Bung said this is because the state is synonymous with PAS’s strength, and this victory is surely the starting point of BN’s revival in Kelantan.
“All states will soon elevate BN back to the national political arena, particularly in facing the upcoming general election,” he said.
“This by-election is not an ordinary election because Kelantan, as is widely known, is a PAS stronghold.
However, the people’s uprising began to be shown in Nenggiri State Assembly by-election, which brings the message that people are rising to demand change, especially in terms of development that the Kelantan state government has failed to implement, particularly in the Nenggiri area.
“From BN’s victory in this by-election, we need to be consistent, not boastful, but should be determined and work hard wisely, as the people’s new mandate starting in Nenggiri needs to be translated with hard work to continue empowering and popularising the BN/Umno party,” he said when commenting on the victory of BN candidate Mohd Azmawi Fikri.
Mohd Azmawi Fikri defeated PAS candidate from PN, Mohd Rizwadi Ismail, by obtaining 9,122 votes compared to PAS’s 5,741 votes. BN won with a majority of 3,372 votes.
Bung, who is also Sabah Umno Chief, was in Nenggiri for two weeks leading the Sabah BN/Umno machinery, which was also joined by several Umno Division Chiefs from Sabah helping to campaign for BN candidate Mohd Azmawi Fikri.
Bung, who is also a member of Umno’s Supreme Council, said BN’s victory in the by-election also provides lessons and experience for Sabah Umno/BN, which will face the upcoming 17th State Election.
“Yes, we gained a lot of experience in terms of campaign work and seeing domestic issues, especially in basic infrastructure development issues in this area, which are not much different from the development situation in Sabah, which we will apply in our campaign work in the upcoming state election,” he said.
According to him, the people of Kelantan, especially in Nenggiri, rejected PAS due to the state government’s failure to develop the state, particularly in Nenggiri, especially in terms of providing basic infrastructure, improving the people’s economy.
What the people of Kelantan are feeling is not much different from the situation faced by the people of Sabah today, due to the failure of the State Government to realise the “Sabah Maju Jaya” slogan when the people dreamed of the biggest change brought by the GRS government that has ruled for more than four years.
“It’s not impossible that the people of Sabah will rise to make changes, as happened in Nenggiri, because they think of the many benefits and progress achieved when BN ruled compared to now.
“This victory will provide a paradigm shift for Umno/BN members, especially in Sabah, to continue fighting for the people after BN/Umno was denied and backstabbed despite having made the biggest contribution in forming the State Government after the last 16th State Election,” he said.
