KUALA LUMPUR, April 11 – Barisan Nasional (BN), particularly Umno, will be able to win two-thirds majority in Parliament if the prospective candidates and incumbents hold on to the principle of “being acceptive if not selected and humble if selected” to contest in the 13th general election (13GE).
According to political analyst Datuk Dr Junaidy Abu Bakar(Pic), this principle would greatly help Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in using his power to choose the right candidates, the winnable and likeable.
“By being open-minded when not selected, the leaders at the divisional level will find it easer to accept the party president’s decision and will not burden Najib with all kinds of lobbying.
“On the other hand, by being humble when selected, the candidates will find themselves more acceptable to the former incumbents, local election machinery and the general voters,” he told Bernama, here, today.
“In fact, this principle will enable the election machinery to work harmoniously without negative actions like sabotage, boycotting of BN’s election campaign and running down the elected candidates,” added Junaidy who hoped that such destructive culture no longer existed in Umno and BN.
He said incumbents who, with an open heart, accepted the decision of not being selected to contest in the general election would have the opportunity to prove their sincerity to the party and people all this while if they come forward to help the chosen candidates win with a bigger majority.
“On the other hand, selected candidates who are humble will be welcomed, and there’s no need for them to revamp the existing election machinery and start putting their ‘own people’ to head this and that as it could harm the preparations.
“Move along with the existing machinery that already has the experience. Be close to them and motivate them, appeal for their full cooperation and appreciate their hard work all this while. Hopefully, they will be ‘our people’ in one strong Umno and BN front.”
According to him, the voters were watching all this as they wanted a strong and united party machinery that would make it easier for the new elected representative to voice their hopes and opinions, and to work as a team at the divisional level in bringing development to the people.
“A winnable candidate has a wide definition but to me, the most important thing is that the candidate should be identified as being close to the majority of the voters, has a clean record and does not bring problems to the party.
“He or she should also have a vision and clear plans to develop the area and for the betterment of the constituents, besides contributing sound ideas in continuing the government’s transformation programmes,” he said.
Junaidy believed that many candidates, especially the incumbents, could admit that they were winnable candidates but they, whether from Umno or other BN component parties, were actually more than winnable if they could accept Najib’s decision with an open heart.
“The responsibility of the patry president who is also the BN chairman in choosing the candidates for only 222 parliamentary seats and 505 state seats from among thousands of potential ones is not an easy task. But if they love the
party, they should all have trust in Najib,” he said.
Junaidy said Najib and his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had repeatedly reminded party leaders and members of how important the 13GE would be for continuity of Umno’s struggle and in facing a stiff fight from an opposition so obsessed with capturing Putrajaya.
“BN must win big this time to continue with the efforts to develop the country. Therefore, the BN machinery must double its efforts and be solidly united and strong compared to what happened in 2008.”
He said the Umno and BN grassroots leaders must also show the best level of understanding and cooperation so as to be exemplary to the younger generation who formed about 22 per cent of the new registered voters, so that this group
would support BN instead of being drawn to the opposition. Polling in the 13GE for the 13.3 million eligible voters will be on May 5 after the nomination of candidates on April 20 followed by a 15-day campaign period.
BERNAMA
