BN wants to see another peaceful election

FOCAL POINT: Taib answering reporters’ questions during the interview at his office yesterday.

by Johnson K Saai. Posted on March 10, 2011, Thursday

KUCHING: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud yesterday said the Barisan Nasional (BN) government wanted the next Sarawak state election to be smooth, proper and gentlemanly as in the old days.

He said during the meeting with Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein at his residence here on Tuesday he discussed a lot on how to ensure the coming election could run properly and as peaceful as in the past.
Taib said he, however, did not want to expect too much from the coming election because there were lots of ‘foreign elements’ in it.
He said the security aspects during the election period would be left to the police and the other relevant agencies to handle.
“I may not and I don’t want to expect too much from this election because there are lots of foreign elements in it, and I leave the security (matters) to the police to handle.
“I only know how to campaign, campaign within the territory of what is allowable under the Election Commission rules like before,” he said.
On Tuesday, Hishammuddin had cautioned the state leaders on the need to seriously check on the new political culture brought about by Peninsular Malaysia-based opposition parties.
“We don’t want the peace and racial harmony in Sarawak to be spoilt just because of politics,” Hishammuddin said, adding that this had to be realised not only by the ordinary people but most importantly the state leadership.
The minister assured that the federal leaders, with the experiences that they have, would help the Sarawak government in handling the situation in the coming state election.
Meanwhile, when asked what transpired during the high profile meeting of the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) leaders here on Monday, Taib, who is the party’s president, said it was not for public consumption.
“I don’t talk about our private meeting, okay. You tell me what is happening in the other parties then I tell you…you go to the other parties first,” he said in jest.