Gerakan Vice-President Says BN Politicians Should Learn From PM's 'Touch Points'

KOTA KINABALU, April 19 (Bernama) -- Gerakan Vice-President Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah said Barisan Nasional (BN) politicians should learn from the emphasis of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on providing 'touch points' for the people to gain their support.

Najib's thought leadership, policies and presence in Sarawak were described as the major factors in helping BN retain a two-thirds majority in the recent state election.

"It is important that in whatever we do, it (the action) should reach out and touch them (the voters)," he told reporters here today when asked to comment on the results of the election.

Tan said BN politicians could learn a lot from the Sarawak election, especially in asking themselves whether they had done enough to resolve issues raised by the people.

"Probably, not enough. We cannot make assumptions that we have done enough," he added.

Tan said the decision by some voters in Sarawak to vote for Opposition parties should be accepted and that the swing in support for the Opposition had to do with dissatisfaction over unfulfilled needs of the people.

"We had seen a lot of things in our trips to Sarawak (during the campaign). At the back of my mind, there was a sentiment of unhappiness and frustration...that certain things that needed to be done, was not done," he said.

Tan, who is also Sabah Industrial Development Minister, noted that the wave favouring the Opposition did not just sweep over urban areas but also beyond such areas as could be seen from the sizeable number of votes obtained by the Opposition elsewhere.

"I don't want to single out the Chinese. It was across the board, every community, not just the Chinese voters.

"They (the voters) made their decision. There must be a reason for them to vote in this particular manner. They are not just looking at Sarawak (issues). Their mind was open, they were looking at various issues in the country."

But Tan also said that the Opposition capitalised on the people's frustration in an aggressive manner, literally.

"They (the Opposition) were also very well-prepared. They planned everything, were very organised, very detailed -- we should learn something from Sarawak. I learnt," he said.