MAKE ‘RECAPTURE SEPANGGAR’ THE BATTLE-CRY

KOTA KINABALU: Sepanggar UMNO has been challenged to go all out to regain the parliamentary seat for the Barisan Nasional and to ensure that the two State seats – Karambunai and Inanam – remain in coalition hands.

“In fact do whatever it takes within the legal framework and make it the battle-cry to wrest Sepanggar back from the opposition,” said Sabah Umno deputy chief, Datuk Salleh Said Keruak, when officiating at the division’s delegates meeting Sunday.

“It won’t be a difficult task if UMNO members give their undivided support to the BN candidates in the forthcoming general election, and I am confident that you all can do it.”

Salleh said voters were firmly behind the BN candidate in the last polls despite a stiff fight from two opposition giants – DAP and PKR, but they were cheated by the winner when his party switched allegiance.

Sepanggar was won by SAPP in the 2008 elections when it contested under the BN symbol but the party pulled out from the coalition shortly after and its incumbent Datuk Eric Majimbun sat among the opposition in Parliament.

However Karambunai and Inanam remain BN strongholds with the incumbents, Datuk Zainab Mohd Ayid from UMNO and Datuk Johnny Goh from PBS.

Salleh said UMNO must lead the way even if another component party was given the seat to contest this time around.

“We can make a request for the seat through the party, but once the leadership has decided on who the candidate is, we must all close ranks and work hard to ensure that we wrest it away from the opposition,” added Salleh.

He said UMNO and other BN party members had to work extra hard going to the grassroots now to counter the various falsehood being spread by the opposition who are desperate to make further inroads.

“No matter how much development we bring or the benefits and progress made by the BN government, the opposition will never acknowledge it and instead hoodwink the people the only way they know best.

“Much as we know that the voters are matured and can judge for themselves that the BN is the right government for them, we cannot afford to rest on our laurels and let the opposition get away with their lies and deceit,” pointed out Salleh.

He said divisional leaders from not only UMNO but all other parties must now put their efforts (to meet the people) in top gear with elections round the corner.

“You have already “turun padang” time and again but checking out on the needs of the constituents must be doubled so as not to give them cause to switch their support to the opposition camp,” he said.

“Tell the people what the government has done, what it is doing, and what more will be done in time to come so that their support for the BN will not waver.”