Let BN bring changes to Kelantan, says Muhyiddin

1

STRONGER BN: Muhyiddin (centre) and fellow BN members chant ‘Gelombang Merah’ while raising their arms after holding a closed-door meeting with Kelantan BN leaders. — Bernama photo

KOTA BAHARU: It is time to let the Barisan Nasional (BN) take over the reins in Kelantan to enable changes to be made, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin.

He said the BN government was capable of changing the depressed situation in the people in state due to PAS’ failure to resolve various problems endured by the people like water woes, land transfer, and unfulfilled promises even after 22 years at the helm.

“If you want to get out of the doldrums, it is better to give BN the chance. If you think BN is not up to the mark, then replace us after five years, the power lies with the people.

“Give the opportunity to the prime minister who asked for a new mandate, then gauge our way, there will be changes within five years. If there is no change, you have the right to throw us out.

“We want to prove what we can do for we want to help the people,” he told reporters after holding a closed-door meeting with Kelantan BN leaders yesterday.

Muhyiddin, who is on a one-day working visit to the state, then held another closed-door meeting with community and non-governmental organisation (NGO) leaders.

“Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has vowed to help the people of Kelantan, including announcing seven major projects for the state recently.

“The prime minister wants to make changes for we believe that we can deliver, we fulfil our promises, this is not frivolous.

“When the prime minister announced the seven major projects, it is not frivolous, the people of Kelantan know that it is shame on us if do not fulfil our promises. We ask for the mandate to be given to us for it is our impassion plea to help the people of Kelantan,” said Muhyiddin, who is also Umno deputy president.

The seven projects announced by Najib were a highway from Kuala Krai to Kota Bharu, a new stadium, the biggest mosque in Kelantan, a people’s housing project, resolving water woes, the Rapid Kota Bharu public transport system, and a Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) urban campus.

Muhyiddin said he noticed a new sense of awareness prevailing among the people of Kelantan who were hungry for change and progress for they did not happen under PAS rule.

“Many people have listed things that cannot be solved by PAS, they are more eager than me to the extent that someone have asked me to issue a fatwa (edict) making it wajib (compulsory) to vote Umno, but I’m not a ‘tok guru’ (cleric) to issue such fatwa, but it means their conviction is very strong.

“They say it is time for the people of Kelantan wherever they are to be made aware of that it is time to make a change. What happened over the past 22 years is enough, the time for change has come,” he said, inferring to his meeting with the community and NGO leaders.

Muhyiddin also criticised PAS for undermining the thinking the people by misleading them into believing that oil deposits were found inland in the state in order to fish for votes.

On the choice of BN candidates in the 13th general election, he said the prime minister had scrutinised them and their names would be announced when the time was right.

Muhyiddin was accompanied by Kelantan Umno Liaison Committee chairman Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed and his deputy, Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin— Bernama