TAWAU: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi expressed confidence in BN’s chances of reclaiming five state assembly seats within the parliamentary constituencies of Tawau and Kalabakan.
While he did not specify which seats, the Umno President acknowledged that some constituencies among Balung, Apas, Tanjung Batu, Kukusan, and Sebatik could present challenges for BN candidates.
“In our surveys, I found that some areas are relatively easy to regain, but others are more difficult. Nevertheless, I am very confident in the quality of all our candidates,” said the Barisan Nasional (BN) Chairman.
Zahid, who is also Minister of Rural and Regional Development, made the remarks during a press conference following his officiation of the Majlis Khatam Perdana and Program Sentuhan Kasih Desa@Tanjung Batu at the Tawau Sports Complex.
He emphasised that all BN candidates have undergone a thorough vetting process, and the selected individuals are believed to possess strong winning potential.
“I am very confident in our BN candidates because their electability is high. We also urge them to remain steadfast in engaging not just Umno members, but all voters as a whole,” he said.
On BN’s broader goal of restoring its prominence in Sabah, Zahid noted that success depends largely on the support of voters, particularly those who recall the era of BN governance in the state.
He emphasised that BN is committed to implementing the six key pillars outlined in its component party manifesto, which focus on areas crucial to the people of Sabah.
Under Sabah Development Plan One, launched by BN in conjunction with the 17th Sabah State Election, the six main pillars are:
- Economic Prosperity and Quality of Life
- Quality Education for All
- Women and Youth as Pillars of the Nation
- Political Transformation and Good Governance, Healthy Communities
- Welfare State
- Sustainability of Natural Resources
Meanwhile, nearly 170,000 young Sabahans are jobless, accounting for almost 20 per cent of Malaysia’s total unemployment, a crisis demanding immediate intervention, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The alarming figures from the Department of Statistics showed an urgent need to create employment opportunities within Sabah to stem the mass exodus of youth seeking work elsewhere.
“We must find solutions because we do not want Sabah’s children to continuously migrate to Sarawak, the Klang Valley or Johor in search of jobs,” Ahmad Zahid told reporters after officiating the Khatam Perdana Ceremony and Sentuhan Kasih Desa@Tanjung Batu Programme at the Tawau Sports Complex, here.
Recognising the severity of the situation, the government plans to establish economic opportunities and expand technical and vocational education training (TVET) institutions across Sabah, including new polytechnics and Mara Skills Institutes (IKM) in Tawau and Kalabakan under the 13th Malaysia Plan.
“The workforce here must be trained with a focus on developing Sabah. This is not about election season, it is a Federal Government commitment we want to implement as soon as possible,” he said.
He also pointed out that Sabah’s agricultural potential through modern farming methods while stressing that reducing unemployment must go hand-in-hand with resolving the trinity of issues — water, electricity and roads — to attract investors to the State.
