KUCHING: The federal government is wise in pledging to intensify rural development in Sarawak, says Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) deputy publicity chief Dato Peter Minos.
He said this was the best way for the BN to return the favour to the rural voters who had given them another mandate to form the government.
According to him, many Sarawakians were pleased with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for acknowledging that many rural projects still needed to be implemented in Sarawak during his recent Gawai visit to the state.
“Rural voters stood solidly with BN (in the last general election) and so it is proper that BN is returning the favour. In fact, if rural people didn’t give their support, BN would have been in trouble.
“The rural folk see BN as being mindful of their interests and aspirations and so acted accordingly, whereas they see the opposition spewing hot airs and empty pledges. The perception will persist if BN continues to champion the rural folk. The ruling party in Thailand wisely pursues very pro-rural policy and so remains popular,” said Minos.
Najib, who visited four longhouses in Betong, Pakan, Sarikei and Selangau before coming for a dinner in Kuching last Sunday, had announced an allocation of RM400 million to expedite construction of Sibu-Kapit road and an extra allocation of RM30 million for continuation of the native customary rights (NCR) perimeter survey in the state.
Najib, who led BN to victory by winning 133 seats in the GE13, also attributed the success of BN in forming the new government to the big contribution of seats from the rural areas.
Minos, who is also PBB Opar chairman, said the pledge by Najib was sweet music to the ears of the rural communities who still needed government attention and focus to catch up with others.
“Too many rural villages and longhouses are still in need of good education and stable incomes, while some still
need basic utilities and infrastructure like treated water, health care, electricity and tar-sealed roads.
“The government had done much since 1963 but a lot is still yet to be catered for our rural folk to be at par with the urban people. Thus, it is a wise policy to uplift the lives of rural folk so that the urban-rural economic disparity will not be too glaring. If the disparity is wide, it will create more social and even political problems in future, as history has attested,” said Minos.
He went on to say that rural people were not demanding, as all they wanted was a concerned and caring government that listens to their hopes, fears and aspirations.
“And they are a grateful lot as we saw in the last election. They voted BN without hesitation in gratitude. This political attitude will prevail so long as BN reciprocates,” he said.