BN WORK FOR ALL RACES

GOOD TO SEE YOU: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud (right) welcoming Muhyiddin upon his arrival at the Kuching International Airport yesterday. He was here for a one-day visit. — Photo by Kong Jun Liung

KUCHING: The Barisan Nasional (BN) government always look after the interest of all races, assured Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

He said the government had never discriminated against any race as all Malaysians were treated as equal.

“The BN is a fair government and a fair party which has been addressing issues of concerns of all Malaysians, be they the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans, Kadazans, Muruts, Bidayuhs, Kelabits … and be they Muslims and non-Muslims.

“We take into consideration all these matters. We want to resolve and assist all communities. For instance, if the Chinese need certain issues to be addressed we will work hard to address it.

“Most importantly of course is to ensure that there is continued growth and economic opportunities. There are a lot of things that we need to continue to address.

“Our focus is on all the communities. I think that’s the BN’s strength all this while,” Muhyiddin told a packed press conference at PBB headquarters here yesterday.

On the state election, Muhyiddin said the BN machinery was already in the ‘mood’ to go full gear.

“I have met the state BN’s leaders and I am happy with the level of their preparations to ensure Sarawak will remain under the BN.”

Muhyiddin stressed that the BN’s top agenda for the state had always been to provide a better livelihood for the people.

“I have also been briefed on the election manifesto which is now on its final state of preparation. The manifesto will be launched during the nomination day on April 6,” he said, adding that the focus of the manifesto would be on the well-being of the people.

Muhyiddin, who is also the deputy BN chairman, is optimistic that the state BN, under the leadership of Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, would perform well in the coming election.

“We are very honest in our efforts to improve the livelihood of Sarawakians. That’s the reason that we need to ensure that the BN will remain strong so that the tempo of development could be continued.”

He added that all BN component parties would give a helping hand in the election.

“Federal Ministers who are eager to assist will be supervised by the state election secretariat to ensure their presence will be effective during the campaigning period.”

Muhyiddin said the people should be able to choose who is the most capable party to govern the state.

“As such we don’t bother with what is happening on the other side (the opposition) because we have no quarrel over seats or anything, unlike these people,” he said, adding that the opposition’s squabble over seats allocation should not make the BN camp over confident in facing the election.

“No matter what the other side is currently facing, we in the BN have been working as a team.”

Muhyiddin said he is optimistic that the BN would be able to capture the nine seats lost in the 2006 election as the BN had been very focused in helping the people.

“I think the people know that we are very sincere in helping them. We will also tell them that during the coming campaign period,” he added.

In the last state election, the BN managed to win 62 out of the 71 state seats.

The DAP won six while PKR, an Independent and SNAP grabbed one each.

However, the then Independent candidate Gabriel Adit subsequently joined PKR and later Parti Cinta Malaysia, while SNAP lost its sole assemblyman when Dr Johnical Rayong joined SUPP at the end of last year.