KUCHING: SUPP can neither be confident nor stay complacent if it wants to retain its current five parliamentary seats and wrest Bandar Kuching and Sibu from the DAP.
Its president Datuk Seri Peter Chin, who pointed this out yesterday, said although Bandar Kuching was presently held by DAP, it did not rule out the possibility that BN could win it back.
“I do not want to sound as if we are confident, but take Bandar Kuching as an example, it may be in the hands of DAP
yet does not mean we have no chance.
“We have to run an effective campaign, making sure the voters know what we are
talking about,” he told journalists after chairing the party’s central working committee meeting at its headquarters here.
Chin, who is also Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water, believed that the party’s recommended candidate Tan Kai would be able to “expose quite a lot of shortcomings of the MP for Bandar Kuching.”
“Our candidate will have to put in a lot more hard work and as long as we continue the hard work to see that all
messages reach every level, I think we will stand a chance,” he added.
He made these remarks when asked ‘How strong is SUPP now?’.
He also advised Tan, who is SUPP Youth chief, to make good use of social media tools to move a step closer to young Chinese voters.
He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had been doing exactly that – being active on both Facebook and
Twitter – to stay in touch with the ground.
“It is important our candidate is able to move along with young voters. So have gatherings with friends on Facebook, renew friendship and chit chat with them.”
To enhance the party’s election machinery, Chin said a series of election-related courses for Bumiputeras would kick off in Serian to
consolidate Bumiputera support for BN.
SUPP deputy president Datuk Richard Riot, who is also Serian MP and Serian branch chairman, said he would not be too confident that Serian “is a safe seat.”
“People have been saying Serian is a safe seat, but as an incumbent, I always regard it as not safe. I do not want to be over confident, therefore, we are having the course for all campaigners and workers.
“We can’t say the game is over until the referee blows the final whistle. And we do not take things for granted.”
To a question, Riot, also Deputy Foreign Minister, said the land issues affecting people of Danau Melikin, Balai Ringin had nothing to do with his constituency.
On the candidate for Stampin, Chin said: “this has yet to be decided.”
“We have been in touch with (Stampin MP and Deputy Works Minister) Datuk Yong Khoon Seng. I’ve spoken to him two to three times and he said he was not prepared to stand.”
When pressed that the ‘other side of SUPP’ wanted Yong to defend the seat, Chin said: “That you have to ask him.”
sumber:theborneopost
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