Labuan Expected To Remain BN Stronghold - Analyst




By Jailani Hasan

LABUAN, Jan 23 (Bernama) -- Labuan is expected to remain a Barisan Nasional (BN) stronghold with the ability to win with a bigger majority in the upcoming 14th general election (GE14), according to academician and political analyst Dr Romzi Ationg.

He said this was based on the support showed by the people of Labuan towards the BN government which had administered the duty-free island well.

Romzi said various going-to-the-ground programmes organised by BN from time to time to feel the pulse of the people and to get closer to them, had enabled the party to gain a comfortable position in Labuan.

The programmes, which began soon after the last general election, showed that BN had always been there for the people and not merely to fishing for votes during elections, he said.

Romzi, in an interview with Bernama, said unlike other parliamentary constituencies, Labuan had no issues related to the people that could affect their support towards the government.

He said even though there were those who often criticised the government's efforts, including the proposed bridge to link the mainland of Sabah and Labuan, as well as the rising prices of goods, the people were not easily influenced by those criticisms.

"This is because Labuan people have never been a fan of rebellion or dispute, but they prefer unity and peace and harmony," said Romzi who studies local and global contemporary politics.

He said village chiefs and leaders of the Residents' Representative Council who represented the people of Labuan had chosen BN government to develop the island.

"This is because the opposition has failed to outline an attractive and proactive development policy," he added.

Romzi said the discord in the opposition pact had been a concern to the people who wanted a united government, and they stressed that only BN could do it.

"The disputes between (Prime Minister Datuk Seri) Najib (Tun Razak) and (Pakatan Harapan chairman Tun Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad) and the imprisonment of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim have no impact in Labuan as the need for continuous development is still very relevant in the island," he said.

Furthermore, Romzi said the opposition parties were a bit late in forming and deploying their political machinery on the island, and therefore, it was difficult for the people to accept that they would do something new and good for them.

-- BERNAMA