KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah UMNO director, Jeffery Nor Mohamed, opined that any party contesting in the upcoming 17th State Election (PRN) has the right to instill confidence in the people that they will win and govern afterward.
He mentioned that any party, even those without seats in the current state assembly, can assure the public.
However, he said the final decision lies with the people of Sabah, or people power, who will choose which party they support to form the government after the 17th State Election.
“Providing such confidence is normal for any party that offers to contest, even if some parties currently hold no seats or have not yet been tested in real elections, like the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), which only formed the government due to alliances with other parties, including UMNO, after the 16th State Election,” he said during a visit to elderly residents in Taman Jumbo Petagas on Sunday.
The Putatan UMNO chief made this statement in response to the media remarks by GRS Chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor during the recent Annual Meeting of the Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) in Usukan, Kota Belud, where he expressed confidence that the GRS-Pakatan Harapan (PH) Plus coalition could return to power after the 17th State Election.
According to Jeffery, Hajiji, who is also the Chief Minister, has the right to instill confidence in his members but not in the majority of the people in Sabah, who continue to witness the failures of the GRS government during its nearly one-term rule, particularly regarding issues like road infrastructure, clean water supply, electricity, and poverty, which remain unaddressed.
He said that even before the 17th state election, there were already discussions about the symbols to be used.
“One group wanted the GRS symbol, while another preferred the PH symbol,” he added.
Jeffery stated that the people of Sabah, estimated to be around 1.5 million, including young voters, will be wiser in choosing a party that can responsibly govern and ensure the development and welfare of the people in the state.
“For UMNO, we will continue to engage with the people, listening to their concerns and providing any assistance we can. UMNO leaders visit the communities weekly to see the challenges they face, including issues with basic infrastructure, roads, clean water, electricity, and poverty, despite the state government claiming that hardcore poverty has been addressed,” he said.
When asked about UMNO’s preparations for the upcoming PRN, Jeffery said that the work and committees for the polling districts have been established, and they will continue to inform the public about current issues through outreach programs.
He assured that UMNO Sabah’s manifesto for the 17th state election is a promise that can be fulfilled.
“It is not just empty promises or grand ideas like those made by other parties that ultimately fail to deliver, leaving the people still waiting for results.
“The BN Sabah manifesto is based on what BN can realistically achieve, not just a collection of lofty promises that cannot be fulfilled,” he added.
