Victory assured if Taib is at helm — Daud

Monday 30th August

August 29, 2010, Sunday

KUCHING: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud’s continued leadership will be the key for the state BN to win the coming state election.Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs) Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman, who said this, brushed aside an online news portal’s belief that if Taib stepped down it would help SUPP recover lost ground.

“Whether SUPP can gain support with CM stepping down is a hypothetical question. SUPP cannot direct the CM to step down. CM is the president of PBB and PBB will decide whether CM should step down or not.”

Daud, who is also PBB vice-president and Tupong assemblyman, told journalists this after handing out ‘bubur lambuk’ at Medan Hamidah at Jalan Bako near here yesterday.

On PBB, he said the party was not only confident of retaining all its 35 seats but also win with a bigger vote-majority in the coming state election.

This was because the party enjoyed strong ground support.

“If we go to war but are not confident of winning, then we might as well not fight… just surrender. Through our track record, I think the ground support is good.

“I am not boasting. I think the people want us to continue the good track record,” he said.

Asked whether he would be defending Tupong, Daud replied: “It is the prerogative of the state BN chairman. He wants a candidate who can win the area. He decides based on whether the person recommended by the respective parties have the support from the people.”

On the opposition, Daud described them as an entity filled with empty talk and promises.

He hoped Sarawakians would not be hoodwinked by the opposition’s tactic while assuring that the state BN wanted Sarawak to prosper as a developed and energy-producing state.

Citing land renewal premium as an example, he said the opposition could not deliver while the Sarawak BN lowered the premium to RM1,000 per terrace house.

“They shout at us but their fellow friends in Penang and Selangor do not follow what they want. How much is the renewal cost there? Why can’t the Pakatan Rakyat government reduce the premium?

“The opposition can shout and talk but they cannot deliver. The BN has a solid track record and with the continued leadership of BN, Sarawak will be one of the most prosperous states in Malaysia 20 or 30 years from now,” added Daud.