‘Aid recipients should be grateful to govt’

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SERIAN: Government grant recipients and those who get other forms of financial aid should be grateful to Barisan Nasional (BN) elected representatives.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Richard Riot Jaem said this was because BN elected representatives were required to continually help those in need.

In this regard, he said he was disheartened many voters had voted for the opposition in the May 5 general election despite the government having looked after their welfare.

In his parliamentary constituency of Serian, for instance, Edward Andrew Luwak of the DAP garnered 6,343 votes in the polls. In the last general election in 2008, Sylvester Belayong Jayang from SNAP garnered only 2,366 votes.

Riot won the straight fight in the recent polls by polling 19,494 votes.

“I am disheartened and sad the DAP managed to get more than 6,000 votes in Serian despite not having done anything in this constituency. I have been an MP here for over 20 years, and I have not seen anything contributed by the opposition here.

“In the last general election, I lost in some of the areas that I have helped. In fact, I know some of the villagers personally,” said Riot at a minor rural project (MRP) presentation ceremony at Serian Community Hall here yesterday. A total of RM699,000 in MRP grants were presented to 77 recipients.

Among those present were newly-appointed political secretary to the prime minister Major (R) Peter Runin and Serian state administrative officer (SAO) Morini Kudan.

“I visited my constituency every week to serve the people, yet I still lost over 6,000 votes. I have to admit, my morale is quite low at the moment.”

Riot, however, pledged to continue giving the best to his constituents.

“I am an MP for all races. I will serve everybody regardless,” he said.

Yesterday’s event also saw the presentation of compensation by the People’s Volunteer Corp (Rela) to three Rela personnel – Jackie Anod (RM2250), Solamun Fakhrudin (RM1536) and Peter Misen (RM1750) – for being involved in accidents. Rela gave RM14,000 to Sofia Ligau, the widow of Rela personnel Allan Ting.