BN component parties should work hard to recapture Selangor - Ahmad Zahid

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today called on component parties in Selangor Barisan Nasional (BN) to work together in wresting back the state from the opposition in the upcoming 14th general election (GE14).

Ahmad Zahid, who is also UMNO vice-president, said this was because in the last election it had been proven that support for BN from the non-Malays was declining while Malay support showed an upward trend.

"In Selangor we lost eight seats, the seats won were all UMNO seats ... what happened to the component parties?

"If we were to look at the statistics of the previous GE, in GE12 support for BN from the Malays was 57.9 per cent; Chinese 29.8 per cent and Indians 36.3 per cent while in GE 13 support from Malays was 58.9 per cent; Chinese 13.4 per cent and Indians 34.4 per cent.

"Why did this happen? Selangor is not only for the Malays but also for the Chinese and Indians, so the other component parties must also work hard towards regaining Selangor. The BN components must stay vigilant from now," he said.

He said this in his speech at the Hulu Langat UMNO Division delegates conference here today which was also attended by Selangor UMNO Liaison Committee chairman Tan Sri Noh Omar and Hulu Langat UMNO Division chief Datuk Johan Abd Aziz.

Ahmad Zahid said it was improper for the Selangor BN to allow the opposition to continue enjoying the benefits after they had put in all the hard work towards the development of the state.

"The developments, foreign investments including job opportunities were made possible by UMNO and BN long before they (the opposition) came into power ... so how could they, after just two terms, say that they have contributed to 25 per cent of the country's gross domestic product.

"All along it was us who had reaped and sowed but the fruits of our labour are being enjoyed by others.

"It is my promise that if we manage to win back the Hulu Langat parliamentary and state seats more provisions will be allocated here," he said.

-- BERNAMA