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BN confident of crucial Chinese votes
15-Jan-2009, The Edge Daily
by Yong Min Wei

KUALA TERENGGANU: Barisan Nasional (BN) is confident of getting crucial support from Chinese voters in Kuala Terengganu despite opinion polls suggesting that a majority of Chinese votes might go to PAS, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The deputy premier was asked to comment on the Merdeka Centre Survey that indicated 56% of Chinese voters see the by-election as an opportunity to force the BN government to change for the better.

Najib said BN was true to its multi-racial policies, had been treating all races equally and always honoured its election promises.

He noted that BN had fielded Chinese candidates in Terengganu during general elections but PAS had yet to field any Chinese candidate in the state.

“We do not discriminate. We give ‘Wang Ehsan’ not only to the Malays but also to the Chinese and Indians as well,” he told reporters after officiating the ‘Seminar Kesedaran Alam Sekitar’ yesterday.

On allegations of phantom voters, Najib said it was a tactic used by PAS to garner votes, and assured all quarters that there was no truth to such allegations.

“They (PAS) always claim there are phantom voters in an election. After they win the seat, they just keep quiet,”’ Najib added.