Sabah and Sarawak have to be regarded as the "battlefield" where the negative propaganda of the opposition political parties must be quashed, Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein said today.

He said the two states had become the target of the opposition parties to garner support because they were the "fixed deposits" of the BN after they gave the ruling coalition a large number of votes in the last general election.

"They (the opposition parties) want to square off with us in the state (Sarawak) election first before the (next) general election.

"However, before all that, they are attempting to cause confusion in Sabah and Sarawak through negative sentiments and politics.

"As such, if we want to take proactive action, we must remind the people to be wary.

"We must not be complacent or negligent or think that we are too strong," he told reporters after opening the Kota Marudu Umno division delegates meeting in Kota Marudu.

Hishammuddin, who is the home minister, said Umno and its partners in the BN should work hard to maintain the large number of votes garnered in Sabah and Sarawak and recapture the states in the peninsula now held by the opposition.

He said the BN would continue to bring development to the people, fulfill promises made to them and find out their aspirations and needs.

- Bernama