'Sarawak factor' points to fewer no-contest seats By : Analysis by Roy Goh
NST, 15.2.2008
KOTA KINABALU: When the Barisan Nasional won the 2004 elections in Sabah with a landslide victory, it came with 15 unopposed winners.
Can they repeat the feat of sweeping nine parliamentary and six state seats in the same manner this time around? Not likely, even BN representatives say, because opposition candidates want to field more candidates this time.But will the opposition win many more seats? Not likely either, say the same BN representatives."It's the Sarawak factor," said BN component Parti Bersatu Sabah's Labuk incumbent Datuk Seri Micheal Asang, who was among the unopposed winners in 2004.
He was referring to the 2006 Sarawak state election where the BN stronghold was rattled when DAP won six seats, PKR one and two others fell to independent candidates."But it's not as if they (opposition) will stand a chance against the BN in Sabah by fielding more candidates. They may think the 'winds of change' will blow this way, but the ruling coalition has served the people well. "It will work against them. They may be able to influence constituents in urban areas particularly the Chinese voters but the effect will be minimal," Asang said.Kalabakan MP Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh of Umno believed the number of unopposed would not be as great as in the previous election but he was confident his seat could be won by the BN, even if there was a contest."The reason is simple. I have served my constituents well and I am prepared to face the elections," said Ghapur who has been in politics since 1975.Papar MP Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin agreed that there would be fewer seats won uncontested next month, but the BN was set to win back most, if not all, of the seats it won in 2004.DAP Kepayan chairman Steven Jimbangan also believed the Sarawak factor would not have any effect on Sabah voters as the issues differ."It gives us motivation but as far as tackling the real issues at hand, it's different," he said and agreed that the BN would not be able to garner seats without any contest."There is a greater semblance of a pact among the opposition now and when the time comes, things will fall into place for us."
NST, 15.2.2008
KOTA KINABALU: When the Barisan Nasional won the 2004 elections in Sabah with a landslide victory, it came with 15 unopposed winners.
Can they repeat the feat of sweeping nine parliamentary and six state seats in the same manner this time around? Not likely, even BN representatives say, because opposition candidates want to field more candidates this time.But will the opposition win many more seats? Not likely either, say the same BN representatives."It's the Sarawak factor," said BN component Parti Bersatu Sabah's Labuk incumbent Datuk Seri Micheal Asang, who was among the unopposed winners in 2004.
He was referring to the 2006 Sarawak state election where the BN stronghold was rattled when DAP won six seats, PKR one and two others fell to independent candidates."But it's not as if they (opposition) will stand a chance against the BN in Sabah by fielding more candidates. They may think the 'winds of change' will blow this way, but the ruling coalition has served the people well. "It will work against them. They may be able to influence constituents in urban areas particularly the Chinese voters but the effect will be minimal," Asang said.Kalabakan MP Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh of Umno believed the number of unopposed would not be as great as in the previous election but he was confident his seat could be won by the BN, even if there was a contest."The reason is simple. I have served my constituents well and I am prepared to face the elections," said Ghapur who has been in politics since 1975.Papar MP Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin agreed that there would be fewer seats won uncontested next month, but the BN was set to win back most, if not all, of the seats it won in 2004.DAP Kepayan chairman Steven Jimbangan also believed the Sarawak factor would not have any effect on Sabah voters as the issues differ."It gives us motivation but as far as tackling the real issues at hand, it's different," he said and agreed that the BN would not be able to garner seats without any contest."There is a greater semblance of a pact among the opposition now and when the time comes, things will fall into place for us."
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