BN TO EVALUATE "VOX POPULI" TO REGAIN PEOPLE'S CONFIDENCE

PEKAN (Malaysia), Aug 30 (Bernama) -- Najib Razak said Saturday the National Front (Barisan Nasional) (BN) would listen to and evaluate the "vox populi" and do what ought to be done to regain the people's confidence in the BN government.

The deputy prime minister said the BN respected the decision of the people
in the recent by-election in Permatang Pauh in northern Penang-state and "we
have to evaluate the voice of the people if we want to remain in power
long".

He responded thus when asked to comment on a statement by former prime
minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad that in the Permatang Pauh by-election on Aug 26,
the opposition did not win but the BN lost.

Najib, who is the Member of Parliament for Pekan, had earlier handed over
aid to mosques and surau in his constituency in view of the approaching Ramadan
fasting month.

"The BN has to do what is necessary to regain the people's confidence in
the
BN and, God willing, this will be done so that we have more support," he said,
adding that one by-election could not be used to gauge support for the
BN.

In the Permatang Pauh by-election, People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan
Rakyat) (PKR) advisor Anwar Ibrahim beat Arif Shah Omar Shah of the BN and
Hanafi Mamat of Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (Akim) by a majority of 15,671
votes.

Commenting on the undivided support of Sabah elected representatives for
the BN government, Najib said he was confident the Sabah elected representatives
would continue to support the BN government leadership.

Anwar had claimed that the People's Alliance (Pakatan Rakyat) coalition of
PKR, DAP and PAS
would form the federal government on Sept 16 after several MPs from the BN cross
over to the PR.

"God willing, the BN government will prevail. Let's see what the opposition
has to say if they fail (to form the government) on Sept 16," Najib said.

-- BERNAMA