Chin, Abdul Karim: No way BN will make a comeback in Sarawak
KUCHING (Apr 19): Political analyst Prof James Chin took a swipe at former lecturer Dr Mashor Hossen who opined that Barisan Nasional (BN) is set to make a comeback in Sarawak and would have a fighting chance in the next state or parliamentary election.
He said BN with its current composition of United Malays National Organisation (Umno), Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) did not even have branches or establishments in Sarawak.
鈥淎s far as I know the federal BN is not planning to contest in Sarawak, so I don鈥檛 know what this mad man (Dr Mashor) is talking about.
鈥淪o when you talk about BN, you basically talk about Umno, MCA and MIC. How can they be contesting in Sarawak and then don鈥檛 have any branches in Sarawak?鈥 Chin told The Borneo Post when contacted.
Ex-academician Dr Mashor on April 17 said he could see the coalition鈥檚 strength in the rural areas, especially the predominantly Bumiputera constituencies.
鈥淚t is possible that BN would claim some Malay, Iban and Bidayuh-majority seats 鈥 perhaps even some urban seats as well.
鈥淭his is not impossible at all. The rural voters would only look at the BN logo, not really at the candidates. This is undeniably BN鈥檚 strength,鈥 he said in a statement.
Mashor, who was previously associated with Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in Penang, said no one could take BN鈥檚 strength lightly.
He believed that many young people in Sarawak would join BN and this would not be a surprise.
On that note, Chin said even if by a stroke of miracle BN managed to find ways to contest in Sarawak, it would be unlikely they could win any seats in the state with their current Umno, MCA and MIC composition.
鈥淚 will go on record saying that they will get zero seats. There is no chance they can win any seat in Sarawak, BN or no BN.
鈥淟et me make it clear, I鈥檓 talking about the current composition of BN which consists of Umno, MCA and MIC. If they come back with this present composition there is no chance (at all).
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know who this academician is,鈥 Chin said.
Meanwhile, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice president Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said current BN leaders who have had a long history with Sarawak understood Sarawak politics well enough as not to rock the political stability in Sarawak.
鈥淏N has a long history in Sarawak, and BN鈥檚 present leaders understand Sarawak鈥檚 politics well and are close to present Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leaders,鈥 explained the Minister of Youth and Sports.
鈥淚鈥檓 sure BN鈥檚 present leaders will not rock the political stability in Sarawak by contesting in the forthcoming PRN (state election).
鈥淛ust as we don鈥檛 welcome Perikatan Nasional (PN) to contest in Sarawak, we also do not welcome BN contesting in Sarawak,鈥 he said when contacted.
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