Government has never asked security forces to stage a drama, says Najib

MELAKA, March 9 — Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has slammed an opposition leader for accusing that the intrusion by a group of armed militants in Lahad Datu, Sabah since Feb 12 was a drama whereas members of the security forces had sacrificed their lives to defend the country. 

The Prime Minister said the Barisan Nasional (BN) government had never directed members of the security forces to stage any drama but instead ordered them to defend and protect the country's sovereignty. 

"Just think whether we can find actors who are willing to die in their act? Are there anyone who wants to volunteer to die? 

"I believe no one is willing to do such an act," he said in his speech at the official opening of the Federal Tower at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) in Ayer Keroh, here today. 

About 20,000 residents in Melaka attended the official opening of the 21-storey tower built at a cost of RM208 million to accommodate the federal government departments and agencies in the state since August 2010. 

Also present at the event were Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam and Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Dr Ali Hamsa. 

Najib said that security issues should never be politicised because peace and national sovereignty were too valuable.

He said the people in this country should emulate the developed nations such as the United States where security issues had never been exploited despite the political differences that existed.

"The people there give their support to the men in uniform, they don't belittle members of the security forces," he said. He said national sovereignty and peace were crucial to enable the various transformation agenda to be implemented by the government in efforts to turn Malaysia into a developed nation.

The Prime Minister said the future of the country would be better if the people could give their full support to the transformation agenda which had been carefully drawn up and implemented by the government.

Najib said the government would not implement any policy or make promises that would be impossible to fulfill like the opposition that ostensibly wanted to give free higher education, abolish toll and the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans.

"As the English saying goes, there is no such thing as free lunch...meaning that if we want to give something free of charge, there must be another party paying for the service if we want to give it free to the rakyat," he said.

He said there were several countries in the world such as in the Scandinavian countries that could provide higher education free of charge to their nationals, but they had to raise the tax to reach as high as 75 per cent.

But it was different in Malaysia where the government succeeded in providing wide access to higher education to the people without needing to raise taxes, he added. — Bernama