BN can win Kelantan, confident of 30 seats, says Tok Pa

KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 — The Barisan Nasional (BN) is confident of winning 30 seats in Election 2013 to capture Kelantan, based on the mood of the people in the east coast state, says state coalition chief Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed. 

The pro-Umno Agendadaily news portal also quoted Mustapa as saying that BN’s victory will depend on the estimated 130,000 voters who live outside the state, which has been under PAS rule for the past 23 years. 

“The change is quite apparent in Pasir Puteh when many PAS and PKR members joined Umno whether openly or discreetly,” he said after meeting Umno election workers in Cherang Ruku last night. 

The caretaker minister for International Trade and Industry said that the change in voters’ mood in Kelantan was due to hard work by the BN machinery for the past two years in Pasir Puteh under its “Goodbye PAS” and “Red Wave” movement which has attracted large crowds of between 40,000 and 50,000. 

Malaysia’s National Professors’ Council politics, security and international affairs cluster chief Professor Datuk Dr Mohamed Mustafa Ishak said BN’s victory in Kelantan is not impossible as the coalition only lost by one seat in Election 2004. 

He also said that the election machineries of both parties are equally strong for the May 5 general elections. 

Mohamed Mustafa said voters living in Kelantan were ready for a change as they wanted to have better lives from the aspect of infrastructure and economy against the situation in the east coast state. 

“This all depends on the Kelantan people themselves. But we must not forget that BN’s defeat in 2008 was due to voters who stayed outside the state but continued supporting PAS. 

“Voters living outside Kelantan gave the mandate to PAS because they don’t feel the hardship here. They don’t realise and don’t feel the problems in Kelantan as their lives are easy due to the benefits given by states under BN rule,” he said. 

Mohamed Mustafa said this when asked to comment on BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s guarantee to implement seven major projects to develop Kelantan upon winning the state. 

The seven projects include the construction of the Kuala Krai-Kota Bharu highway, 3,000 units of houses, a Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) city campus and an iconic mosque costing RM50 million. 

Najib had also promised to solve the state’s water woes and introduce the federal government’s bus firm Rapid’s services in Kota Bharu. 

The promises are part of the state BN’s manifesto, apart from the 17 pledges that BN has made in its manifesto for Election 2013. 

Some 13.3 million voters, including 5,200 from abroad, are eligible to cast their ballots for the 222 federal and 505 state seats in 12 states. Sarawak held its state elections in 2011.