MORE FALSE 'NAMBIKAI'?: Have faith in BN - Najib tells Indians

EMPTY PROMISES- Opposition’s 2008 polls’ pledges remain unfulfilled, says PM

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday called on the Indian community to return as Barisan Nasional’s (BN) fixed deposit to enable it to secure a big victory in the 13th general election.

He said this was crucial as BN was the only coalition that could ensure the future of the community through education and economic programmes, which had been and would be implemented.

Opening the 66th MIC annual general assembly yesterday, Najib, who is also BN chairman, said unlike BN, the opposition had failed to deliver on their election promises. He advised the Indian community not to be influenced by their empty promises.

He cited the September 2009 Kampung Buah Pala fiasco in Bukit Gelugor, Penang, and the recent destruction of a Hindu altar in the compound of a house in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi, Sepang, as examples.

Najib reminded delegates that just two weeks before the 2008 polls, opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had visited the Kampung Buah Pala villagers and promised them they could stay there once the opposition came to power.

"Instead, they were evicted. At the end of the day, it was BN that solved their problem.

"From now on, if opposition leaders come to you with promises, tell them that the promises are just 'janji Kampung Buah Pala' (promises of Kampung Buah Pala)," he said, adding that BN would assist in the rebuilding of the altar in Sepang.

Kampung Buah Pala was demolished for development despite appeals by residents to the DAP-led state government. The Federal Government had assisted by providing new homes for the displaced residents.

Najib also warned that the opposition had concocted new lies to appeal to the community when they claimed that there were 300,000 stateless Indians in the country.

"The figure of 300,000 is a lie. There are only 9,000 cases of people without citizenship documentation. But of the 9,000, 4,500 have received citizenship status, 2,000 are in the process and 1,500 are in the process of getting their birth certificates."

Najib pledged under the BN government, the Indian community would be well taken care of. He was confident that the warm reception he received during his meetings with the Indian community was a signal that support was returning to BN.

He also said the government would push for more initiatives to assist the Indian community, such as improving the quality of Tamil schools, providing more grants for colleges administered by MIC and the placement of 1,500 Indian students in matriculation courses per year.

"The Indian community is BN's true partner and we assure them that everyone will be taken care of. There is trust. We must unite if we want to win big and support any selected candidate.

"The opposition has come up with a catchy slogan calling for change... but what would be the point if the change only brings chaos and an uncertain future?" Najib said to thunderous applause by the delegates, who also shouted "nambikei" (trust) every time the prime minister stressed the importance of BN to win convincingly in the next general election. Additional reporting by Adrian Lai

- New Straits Times