SARAWAK Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg admitted he was disappointed with the state BN’s performance in the election and blamed “national issues” for the reversal.

BN lost 10 of the 31 seats it contested, failing to dislodge PH from its six seats and losing four more to it –  three to PKR and one to DAP.

BN also lost two seats to independents in its vaunted rural Dayak strongholds.

It held 25 seats before the dissolution.

“I am disappointed. I expected it would be better,” he told reporters who cornered him before he could make it to his car.

State BN leaders were to hold a joint press conference with national leaders at the old state assembly building in Petra Jaya but the results of the elections have thrown a wrench into the plan.

“The press conference was supposed to be with (national BN leaders in) KL. There was no decision, so we called it off.”

However, Abang Johari was philosophical about the setback, saying “this is democracy, either you win or lose”.

“But we still won 19.”

State Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Abdul Karim Hamzak told journalists no one in BN foresaw such a result in Sarawak, Sabah and the peninsula.

“We didn’t expect such a result even though we knew something was not quite right.” – May 10, 2018.