BN Political Platform For Sabahans To Champion State’s Development - Ahmad Zahid

KOTA KINABALU, Oct 18 (Bernama) -- Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi emphasised that the coalition serves as a political platform for Sabahans to champion their cause in advancing the state’s development.

Ahmad Zahid, who previously served as Defence Minister when BN was in government, said the coalition also played a key role in defending Sabah’s sovereignty, including during the Lahad Datu intrusion in 2013.

“As elections draw near, some are saying ‘Sabah for Sabahans’…who negotiated with the Sulu group when Tanduo (in Lahad Datu) became ground zero? When all the Felda Sahabat workers were evacuated, who gave the order to deploy air force assets to carry out the operation?

“We are all Malaysians loyal to our country, regardless of state. ‘Di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung’ (Wherever we live, we uphold the values of the land),” he said when launching the Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) Women’s Empowerment Programme and Malaysia MADANI Nationhood Seminar here today.

Also present were Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad, Sabah BN chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and MARA chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.

Ahmad Zahid also stressed that Sabah BN has been granted autonomy, reflecting the central leadership’s confidence in the ability of Sabahans to determine their own political direction.

“Why were Sabah UMNO and BN given autonomy? Because we do not regard Sabah UMNO and BN as peninsula-based. This is Sabah’s people’s party. It was the people of Sabah who invited UMNO to come to the state to help its people,” he said.

He expressed confidence that BN is capable of forming a stable government in Sabah through cooperation with other political coalitions that share the same goal of advancing the state.

“God willing, BN is ready to work with any coalition or party to form a government so that we can share power. And, God willing, under BN, we pledge that during the first term, we will deliver on all the commitments outlined in the manifesto that we will soon launch,” he said.

-- BERNAMA