He said he could resolve “small” local issues by approving RM400,000 for a hall in Kampung Seri Kerdau but did not want to promise more for fear of dredging up vote-buying allegations.
“I don’t want people to accuse me of buying votes if I approve anything bigger,” he told Chinese, Indian and Orang Asli voters in Kerdau Town here.
“We don’t buy votes, but if you support us we can increase the allocation tomorrow or later. But show support for Barisan Nasional first.”
Najib came under fire during the Sibu by-election last May for offering RM5 million for flood control projects in a DAP stronghold there in exchange for votes.
“If Robert Lau becomes the MP on Sunday, on Monday I will ask the cheque to be prepared. Do we have a deal or not? We do! You want the RM5 million, I want Robert Lau to win,” Najib had told the crowd there.
DAP Wong Ho Leng managed to pull off a surprise win in Sibu by a slim 398 votes after a hard-fought race, defeating Lau from BN’s SUPP.
Najib also flogged the benefits of stability and continuity to voters here today, reminding them to stick with BN and not “gamble” with the welfare of future generations.
“Our future rests with Barisan Nasional only,” he said.
Najib added that BN has proven its ability to develop the nation and promised that if the ruling coalition continued to govern, Malaysia would become a developed nation by 2020.
But he cautioned that this would be impossible without the pre-requisite political stability and policy continuity that would be lost if the opposition were voted into power.
The Kerdau state seat is one of three under the parliamentary constituency of Kuala Krau, along with Jenderak and Jengka. Kuala Krau, Jenderak and Jengka are also BN seats.
There are 8,999 registered voters and 15 postal voters here, 89 per cent of whom are Malay, five per cent Chinese, 3.3 per cent Indian and 2.8 per cent other communities.
The seat fell vacant after the death of Datuk Zaharuddin Abu Kassim from a heart attack on January 12.
The late Zaharuddin won the Kerdau state seat in the last general election after he defeated current PAS candidate Hassanuddin Salim by a majority of 1,615. In 2004, Umno candidate Datuk Redzwan Harun beat PAS man Dr Abu Bakar Mohamed 4,436 to 1,871. The PAS Pahang information chief will now face off against Umno Kuala Krau deputy division chief Syed Ibrahim Syed Ahmad in what is seen as a BN stronghold.
BN currently controls all but three of the 42 state assembly seats in Pahang, with DAP in power in Triang and Tras and PAS, Kuala Semantan. - Malaysian Insider
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