KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Barisan Nasional is confident that Sabahans will rally behind it in the upcoming state election, citing that it has a better track record than the two state administrations since it was last in power.
Sabah Barisan information chief Datuk Suhaimi Nasir said since the coalition was toppled in 2018, the state had two other administrators - Parti Warisan and the current Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
“The people have witnessed three state governments – Barisan, Warisan, and GRS. They recognise the differences and have observed the shortcomings in infrastructure and economic development under the recent administrations,” the Libaran MP said in a statement Monday (Nov 4).
He believes that the current issues under the existing government are driving the people’s renewed support for Barisan.
Suhaimi also refuted claims by Bilcher Bala, a political analyst from Universiti Malaysia Sabah, that Sabah Barisan is no longer relevant in the state, calling it outdated and unlikely to secure a solo win in the 17th state election, which is due by September next year.
Suhaimi asserted that Barisan's presence remains strong and that they continue to have substantial support from the people of Sabah, particularly in the state’s rural areas.
Suhaimi acknowledged that Barisan may face challenges in urban constituencies but is still confident of its support base in rural and semi-urban seats.
“What the analyst has said is merely his personal view, based on paper analysis, which appears biased in favour of certain interests. This is far from our confidence on the ground, where Barisan still enjoys strong support, especially in rural areas,” said Suhaimi.
He said that Barisan and Umno stand ready to assist the people in times of need, more so than other parties.
Suhaimi, who is also the Libaran Umno division chief, said that despite facing a political setback after the 14th General Election, when some Umno leaders left the party to join Bersatu under the GRS coalition, the party remains strong in Sabah with 25 divisions still active to this day.
“The move by certain Umno leaders to join Bersatu, now aligned with GRS, has not undermined Barisan and Umno’s presence or strength in Sabah, where we still boast around 600,000 members, proving the party’s continued acceptance among Sabahans,” Suhaimi added.
Commenting on the coalition’s prospects if it contests solo in the upcoming state election, he said Barisan will not field candidates for all 73 state legislative assembly seats if it runs independently.
Instead, Sabah Barisan would focus on key constituencies, with enough candidates to establish a state government.
Sabah Barisan and Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin had previously said that the coalition might consider contesting independently in the coming state election if it fails to reach consensus with other parties.
