‘Opposition-controlled states lame ducks’

0

OBSERVING: Shafie (right) looking at some students who are playing educational games.

KUCHING: The goings-on in the few states which are governed by the opposition are ample proofs that the opposition does not have the means to turn Malaysia into a better place for all.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, who stated this yesterday, said the opposition was merely good at making empty promises.

“They (opposition) can simply say: ‘if we are governing the state and the country, we can do much better than the current government’. They are presently governing the states of Kelantan, Penang and Selangor, but what have they done?

“There are opposition representatives in Kuching as well, but what have they done to develop Kuching? They are not doing anything,” said Shafie at the launching ceremony of Mara Education Foundation (YPM) knowledge corridors and YPM Trust Fund at Technology College Sarawak (TCS) at Jalan Sultan Tengah here.

He said results from the recent by-elections were good indications that Malaysians, especially those in the Peninsula, were not buying the empty promises of the opposition.

As such, he advised Sarawakians not to blindly accept information that were disseminated on the Internet.

“I hope that Sarawakians won’t simply believe news or information that is spreading widely in cyberspace. Look at the truth…and that is that the government has done a lot to help the people.

“Be it in Sabah or Sarawak, we must realise that the government has done a lot in terms of provision of infrastructure.”

Later in a press conference, Shafie expressed his confidence that Sarawakians would have the wisdom to vote for the right government in the state election which must be called by July this year.

He said the so-called ‘1 to 1’ strategy employed by the opposition would not be a great challenge to the Barisan Nasional government.

“We can’t stop anyone who wants to contest in the election. This is a democratic process. It is not our right to say ‘1 to 1’. Maybe this is the strategy for the opposition to ensure that no other party would want to contest.

“Nevertheless, ‘1 to 1’ is not the deciding factor to win in an election. It is up to the voters. We have the confidence…seeing that we have done a lot to help the people,” he said.

On development projects in rural areas, Shafie pointed out that the government had awarded contracts up to RM500 million for the state last year.

He revealed that more development projects in rural areas could be expected under the Tenth Malaysian Plan and National Key Result Areas (NKRA).