Awg Tengah: Reject the desperadoes

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The land title recipients raise their hand in a show of support to the government, together with Awang Tengah (centre), Julaihi (second left) and Len Talif (second right).

MUKAH: Voters must reject the so-called political ‘desperadoes’ from Peninsular Malaysia as they only come to Balingian during the by-election, says Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) senior vice-president Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan.

He said these political desperadoes who have been setting up camps in Balingian were merely the tools of opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“They only come here for this by-election. After that they will leave you to fend for yourselves. Are you willing to do that to yourselves as well as for your future?” asked Awang Tengah at the presentation of land titles to 179 people at Kpg Lintang some 60 km from here yesterday.

He told the people that the opposition, especially Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), was set up by Anwar for this self-interest and was not meant to assist the people or the country.

“In fact, I pity his wife (Datin Seri Wan Azizah) as she is being used once again in the Kajang by-election. This is a repetition of what happened in Permatang Pauh (Penang) when she had to give up her seat for him (Anwar).”

Awang Tengah said it was indeed Anwar’s intention to contest the Kajang state seat so that he could take up the post of the Menteri Besar of Selangor, following his failure to capture Putrajaya in the last general elections.

On the other hand, he said the Balingian by-election was necessary after former chief minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud gave up the seat to retire from active politics as he had promised during the last state election.

“What we do here (Balingian by-election) is out of necessity but what they do in Kajang is the absolutely the opposite,” Awang Tengah said.

As for the Barisan Nasional (BN), he said it was a platform to ensure the people’s welfare was well looked after.

“We know what we are doing. We have plans to develop Sarawak but it would take time. We have never neglected the interests of anyone,” he said.

Awang Tengah, who is also the Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment, also said the government had never grabbed land from the people.

“In fact we are giving out land for those in need. And when we need land for development we will pay the necessary compensation.”

He reminded the recipients of state land from Kpg Lintang to develop their land so that it could improve their livelihood.

“And please, never sell your land but treasure it so that yo can pass it to your children,” he said, adding that the state had allocated 329ha of land for the 179 people from the area. He said the land was approved in July last year.

Assistant Minister of Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh, Assistant Minister of Industrial Promotion Datuk Julaihi Narawi and director of Land and Survey Datu Sajali Kipli were among those present at the function.