Penang BN is frank enough to admit that winning Penang in the coming general election is tough as they understand the situation and sentiments in the state towards the coalition.

"The task is tough, we understand the situation and sentiments (of the people) very well but we will try our level best," said Teng Chang Yeow, in an interview with KiniTV on Thursday.

"We need to raise the morale and unity in BN to face the elections. The morale is high now amongst BN component parties," he added.

"That is the primary task a leader needs to do, especially in situations where most of us had suffered tremendous or devastating defeat in 2008," he stressed.

Teng, who was appointed state BN chief since last year, was asked about his strategy of winning back Penang in the coming polls and whether the coalition which rules the federal government can turn the pro-Pakatan Rakyat tide in Penang.

NONE In the 2008 polls, dubbed the "political tsunami", BN merely managed to capture 11 seats - all under Umno - while Gerakan and MCA failed miserably to obtain any.

Penang has 40 seats up for grabs, DAP holds 19, whereas PKR has nine and PAS, one.

Teng said he has been spending a couple of months getting everyone together, giving the impression that components parties have been rather estranged earlier, under the leadership of former chief minister Koh Tsu Koon ( above ).

"I spent a couple of months to get everyone together, to put aside whatever differences, finger-pointing, and (for all of us to) come to the same direction," he revealed.

BN's regained confidence

"Now the morale is high, at least the component parties tell us that they are not worried about putting on BN's T-shirts as compared to two years ago," he admitted.

"Now that they have regained their confidence, we need this before going to people to give them the confidence that we can deliver," he added.

Teng said he has already set the momentum for the BN coalition in Penang that they are going into the mother of all elections with the hope of winning Penang.

He was coy about BN's strategies and refused to reveal it, adding that it would only be clear after they were implemented.

NONE However, he claimed that there were "budget constraints" if BN members continue to await the dissolution of Parliament and the polling date.

We do have budget constrains to go further (in implementing our election strategies), I am frank about it," he said.

On BN's achievement in Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's transformation policies, Teng ( left ) said that many programmes have benefitted the people, especially small-time traders and the Indian community.

He added that the implementation of the policies could be further improved as they are sometimes met with "bureaucratic problems".

"Sometimes the top (brass) gives a certain instruction, but it comes down differently. Some (policies) are implemented as perfectly as it was set out to be," he stressed.

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