REJECT ‘EMPTY CAN’ POLITICS

WELCOME.....Taib presented with a sash made from beads upon arrival at SK Tanjong Penasu. He is accompanied by Ragad.

SIBU: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud has called on rural voters to reject ‘empty can’ politics and give their all-out support to politics of development.

He described ‘empty can’ politics as the one practised by Pakatan Rakyat leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“An empty can make a lot of noise and Anwar is just like that. He said a lot of things but they were meaningless.

“He wants to be the prime minister. If I were you, I would not vote for him.

“He has been Permatang Pauh MP for about 30 years and held various ministerial positions in the cabinet before but Permatang Pauh is lagging behind in terms of development compared to Mukah,” he said at a meet-the-people session at SK Tanjong Penasu here yesterday.

With him were his wife Puan Sri Ragad Kurdi Taib, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang, Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and his wife Datin Sri Pauline Leong, Second Resource Planning and Environment Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan and his wife Datuk Dayang Morliah Awang Daud and Temenggong Vincent Lau.

Taib, who is also Resource Planning and Environment Minister, added if he were a dishonest character and practised favouritism as alleged by the opposition, the state would not be as prosperous as it was today.

“The people have known Barisan Nasional (BN) all this while. They also have heard what the opposition had promised them.

“But which of their promises has been fulfilled so far? It is like waiting for a river without an end,” he said.

Therefore, he said, they must continue to support Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in the coming general election as he had been practising politics of development.

According to Taib, Sabah and Sarawak have a special place in Najib’s heart.

He said ever since Najib became the prime minister, the two states had received RM5 billion in allocations to implement various infrastructural projects, which was the highest ever given by the federal government.

This, he said showed Najib’s desire to help Sabah and Sarawak.

“When I sought his approval to build University College Technology Sarawak (UCTS), he approved it in less than two months.

“This is the politics of development that we want (in order) to help our state further,” he said.

On another matter, he said the people in Sibu parliamentary constituency would be fortunate if they pick Temenggong Vincent Lau as their MP during the coming general election.

“I have known his family for almost 30 years. They are generous, caring and humble people.

“Like his father, the late Dato Sri Lau Hui Kang who had been supportive in government projects, I believe Vincent can work closely with (Wong) Soon Koh and others in state BN component parties,” he said.

Taib later approved a number of projects requested by Wong for Bawang Assan state constituency.

Among the projects were the upgrading of Tanjong Penasu-Batu Burak Road and Nanga Tutus-Sebedil-Sungai Rassau Road and treated water supply to Nanga Tutus, Sebedil, Kampung Bungan Kecil, Kampung Bungan Besar, Sungai Pinang and Sungai Banyok which will benefit about 4,000 people there.

On a request for construction of a road from Sungai Rassau to Sungai Kut, he said he would need to check the allocation for it.

He also instructed the State Development Office to inform the contractor to speed up the rural electrification scheme (RES) project for 300 families along Batang Igan area.

For Rumah Jalak, Rumah Daniel and Rumah Ungking that were affected by soil erosion along Batang Igan River, he told the longhouse residents to discuss with Land and Survey Department a new place for them to resettle. (BP)