In Sabah, Muhyiddin counts BN’s blessing

Muhyiddin said the various federal reforms were well received by the public. — File pic

KENINGAU, Dec 29 — Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today outlined several factors that place the Barisan Nasional (BN) in a favourable position in the run-up to the 13th general election.

He said more people were lending their support to BN after the government introduced various transformation programmes which benefited all levels of the multi-racial society.

These programmes, initiated by the national leadership helmed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, were well received, he told a news conference after opening the 15th delegates meeting of Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) at the Kinangau community hall, here.

The Government Transformation Programme (GTP), Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), Political Transformation Programme (PTP) and Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) were focused on the people, he said.

This was on top of the 111 touch points or initiatives of Budget 2013 that benefited all levels of society, he added.

He said there was strong racial unity, which was the basis of national development, and there was no discord despite attempts by certain quarters to disrupt the solidarity.

Muhyiddin, who is also BN deputy chairman, said there were no internal problems among the component parties of the BN that could not be resolved positively.

He said some of the other good points were the five per cent economic growth achieved by the country and the increase in domestic and foreign investments, as well as the rise of the per capita income to US$9,700 (RM29,000) compared to US$7,500 two years ago.

“The situation is most favourable (for the BN),” he said. Earlier, in addressing the PBRS delegates, Muhyiddin said the strong position of the BN should be buttressed by the resilient spirit of the 13 component parties of the coalition, with even small parties like the PBRS playing a huge role just like the bigger parties.

“We must be determined that the BN cannot lose. We have gone to the ground and helped the people.

“We have to realise that if we do not strive, we can lose. Umno and all its partners in the BN have realised this. We have met and discussed the question of strengthening our parties and working to convince the people,” he said.

He said the government was in the right “locomotive” driven by Najib towards making Malaysia a developed nation by 2020.

Muhyiddin reminded members of BN component parties not to quarrel among themselves and advised them to take care of the needs of their constituents and resolve their problems.

He said Najib, he and the other leaders went down to the ground to meet the people because “we want to retain the government for the sake of the people”.

“As such, whatever we hear from the ground, we have to look into it. Najib himself, after working visits to the states, will make decisions quickly,” he said.

Muhyiddin, who is also the education minister, approved the construction of a new school, Sekolah Menengah Dalit, and agreed to the construction of a church in the district.

The deputy prime minister, who was accompanied by Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman and PBRS president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup, also attended a Christmas and New Year reception at the hall.

At the event, Muhyiddin presented awards to pupils in the district who had achieved excellent results in the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) examination this year. — Bernama