'Unresolved squabble over seats shows opposition incapable of good governance'

That is why the opposition parties are fighting each other in a number of seats, including in rural areas, he told reporters after visiting the nomination centres of Baleh, Pelagus and Bukit Goram here to give moral support to Barisan Nasional candidates.

The candidates are PRS president Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing, who is defending his Baleh seat, and new faces Wilson Nyabong, also from PRS, and Jefferson Jamit of PBB who are vying for the Pelagus and Bukit Goram seats.

Urging the people to reject the opposition Ahmad Zahid said: "There is really no reason for Sarawakians to support them. They come and go. They cannot deliver and can only offer lip service, criticise and propagate the politics of hatred and anger against the government."

He said that DAP, which in past elections concentrated on urban seats, was now also fielding candidates in rural areas because "it wants to demonstrate it has presence all over the state."

"It wants to be a so-called strong opposition, but it really only wants to 'kacau daun' (play spoiler) as it knows it cannot win," he said.

Ahmad Zahid said the Rural and Regional Development Ministry was doing a very good job taking care of rural areas, and successful BN candidates could count on it for development grants.

He said Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem and company could all triumph over their opponents in the 82 constituencies if the BN machinery continued to work hard with ready all-round support from the people.

"Sarawak needs a team of representatives who can form a very strong state government which can continue to give development allocations not only to rural but also urban areas, which is why all Sarawakians should support Team Adenan," he added.