Perlis: No local issues for opposition to spin - MB
By Zainal Abdul Jalil
KANGAR, April 13 (Bernama) -- Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perlis UMNO are confident of retaining all three parliamentary seats and 13 of the 15 state seats in Perlis as well as wresting the remaining two from the opposition in the 14th general election (GE14).
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man described Perlis as safe for BN, based on the solidarity of its members, and opposition's lack of local issues to spin.
"The opposition tried to use issues such as 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and the goods and services tax (GST) to influence the people but we can counter them with proper explanation," he told Bernama in an interview at his residence, The Residency, here recently.
Azlan who is also UMNO Perlis deputy liaison chairman said the people in the state were behind BN all the way and that such support would be translated into votes in GE14.
"The people are looking at the performance and BN's contribution to their socio-economy, not at mere promises. The BN government has attended to the welfare and needs of the people. This is our advantage," he said.
On winnable candidates for GE14, he said Perlis BN had plenty, who are credible and qualified, approachable and liked by the people.
"On this factor, I am confident that the people in Perlis would choose BN over PH (Pakatan Harapan)," he said, adding, it was crucial for BN to be a strong and stable government to enable it to implement undistracted, its development plans for the people and country.
"A weak government would be adverse in many aspects. Therefore the people must undividedly give the mandate to BN if they want to see the positive effects of the high impact projects that are currently being implemented, on their socio economy," he said.
Meanwhile, the two opposition constituencies which BN is eyeing are Sanglang state seat held by PAS and Indera Kayangan state seat held by PKR.
Aside from that, Azlan said BN and Perlis UMNO would seek to prove that their win in four state constituencies which they secured with razor thin majority was no fluke.
The four constituencies are Simpang Empat (85 votes), Beseri (540 votes), Kayang (664 votes) and Guar Sanji (927 votes).
Azlan said he would be standing behind state UMNO liaison chief Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim in their effort to ensure a clean sweep in GE14 of the constituencies in Perlis for BN.
"The scenario in GE13 was different from that in GE12 and GE11. GE13 was a tsunami by Chinese voters which cost BN the Indera Kayangan seat because the opposition was in an alliance. But the situation is expected to change this time," he said.
The opposition, he said rarely came or seek to resolve the grouses of their constituents.
Of his own position, he said he was open and would accept any decision by the top party leadership on whether to retain him as a candidate for Pauh or not, or nominate him for a different state or parliamentary seat.
-- BERNAMA
