Najib hints at November polls

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has strengthened speculation that the next general election will be held in November.

With the Prime Minister scheduled to unveil the National Education Blueprint on Sept 11 and Budget 2013 on Sept 28, talk in political circles is that the general election will likely be held in the second last month of the year.

The Barisan Nasional chairman's “one-on-one” meetings with component party heads on Aug 28 to discuss their candidates' list have also given credence to talk that the polls will be held then.

In his strongest hint yet, the Umno president brought his favourite number 11 into prominence during the joint opening of the party's Kinabatangan, Sandakan, Batu Sapi, Beluran and Libaran delegates meeting here.

He said the double digits were “significant” this year because 2012 is the 66th year of Umno, with Malaysia marking the 55th year of Merdeka and Sabah Umno notching 22 years.

“All these numbers could be multiplied by 11,” he said. “Six times 11 equals 66, five times 11 equals 55 and 2 times 11 equals 22. The factor of 11 appears in all. It is unique and good.”

Earlier in his speech, Najib urged members of the state Umno and Barisan Nasional to defend Sabah as a “fixed deposit” of the coalition.

He said Umno's strength in Sabah was good and believed the party would get “a resounding support” of the people in the state.

Najib urged Umno members to work for the party and not look at ethnicity of candidates as this would divide and weaken the party.

“We don't need selfish members who only want to fill their pockets and protect their positions. Such people can leave.

“Najib is not strong, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman is not strong. Our strength is in Umno and Barisan Nasional,” he pointed out.

The Prime Minister asked Sabah voters to give Barisan another five years' mandate so that the coalition could carry out its projects in the state under the Government Transformation Programme.

He said ties between the Federal Government and Sabah were good, adding that the state benefited much under Barisan.