BN Confident Of Winning 2/3 Majority, Says Abdullah

KUALA TERENGGANU, March 1 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today the Barisan Nasional (BN) is confident of securing a two-third majority in the general election on March 8.

The Prime Minister said this was based on the reports received from the states after a week of campaigning.

"As for the position of the Barisan Nasional at this stage, InsyaAllah, we will obtain the two-third majority," he told reporters after opening the Conference of Terengganu Religious Leaders 2008, here.

The BN chairman was asked to comment on the position of the coalition so far after seven days of campaigning. The campaigning period is entering its second week before polling on Saturday.

Abdullah, who was accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah, arrived in Terengganu last night for a one-day working visit.

Responding to another question, Abdullah said he and his deputy, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak were giving more attention to states in the north and East Coast to ensure that the BN government continued to get the people's support.

"We go to the states that need help. As for Johor, we are of the opinion that we are strong (there), Alhamdulillah, and it is capable of carrying out campaigns to maintain the strong support.

"It's not that we don't go there, we still go but less frequently. We go to areas where help is needed," he said.

Furthermore, Abdullah said the states in the north and East Coast were included in the economic corridor development which needed the leadership of the BN government if they were to be successfully implemented.

"We want to implement what we have planned and we want the support of the people to enable the BN government to be set up to carry out the development programmes we have drawn up," he said.

The Prime Minister had earlier been asked on the greater attention given by him and Najib to the states in the north and East Coast, particularly, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.

Yesterday, Abdullah made a one-day visit to Kelantan while Najib was in Kedah. On March 5, Najib is scheduled to visit Terengganu.

-- BERNAMA