KUCHING, April 7 (Bernama) -- Opposition candidates fighting each other in the Sarawak state election is proof the parties in it do not have a common understanding and cannot be an alternative to the Barisan Nasional coalition, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
He said although they had tried to present a united front to take on the BN, in the end this did not become a reality because they could not build consensus.
"Now what they had hoped for has not been achieved and are forced to fight each other in many seats while trying to challenge BN candidates," he told reporters after launching the Sirim Smart Learning programme and the Sirim Robokit at SMK Santubong near here today.
Najib said there were way too many contests which were not straight fights and in some of the seats, there were up to five or six contestants.
"This shows the Opposition parties especially in Sarawak are not on the same wavelength...even if seat allocation they cannot agree, how are they to form the government. The Opposition is not a viable option to the people," he said.
Najib said the Sarawak election this time would be tough as 213 candidates were vying for the 71 seats at stake.
The BN is fielding candidates in all 71 seats while of the Opposition parties, PKR is contesting 49, SNAP (26), DAP (15), Parti Cinta Malaysia (six) and PAS (five) besides 41 independents in the fray. Polling is on April 16.
On the high number of independents, Najib said this favoured the BN as opposition votes would be split.
Asked about claims by certain independents that they were being sponsored by the BN, Najib said this was not true as the coalition only endorsed candidates mutually agreed with Sarawak BN.
"I was also involved in the selection (of BN candidates). The Chief Minister of Sarawak who is also the State BN chairman and I wanted winnable candidates, he said.
On the absence of walkover victories for the BN this time, Najib said he had expected this.
MySinchew 2011.04.07 He said although they had tried to present a united front to take on the BN, in the end this did not become a reality because they could not build consensus.
"Now what they had hoped for has not been achieved and are forced to fight each other in many seats while trying to challenge BN candidates," he told reporters after launching the Sirim Smart Learning programme and the Sirim Robokit at SMK Santubong near here today.
Najib said there were way too many contests which were not straight fights and in some of the seats, there were up to five or six contestants.
"This shows the Opposition parties especially in Sarawak are not on the same wavelength...even if seat allocation they cannot agree, how are they to form the government. The Opposition is not a viable option to the people," he said.
Najib said the Sarawak election this time would be tough as 213 candidates were vying for the 71 seats at stake.
The BN is fielding candidates in all 71 seats while of the Opposition parties, PKR is contesting 49, SNAP (26), DAP (15), Parti Cinta Malaysia (six) and PAS (five) besides 41 independents in the fray. Polling is on April 16.
On the high number of independents, Najib said this favoured the BN as opposition votes would be split.
Asked about claims by certain independents that they were being sponsored by the BN, Najib said this was not true as the coalition only endorsed candidates mutually agreed with Sarawak BN.
"I was also involved in the selection (of BN candidates). The Chief Minister of Sarawak who is also the State BN chairman and I wanted winnable candidates, he said.
On the absence of walkover victories for the BN this time, Najib said he had expected this.
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