‘Be wary of BN’s vote-fishing tactics’

The BN government is doing a lot of sweet talking to try to give false confidence to the rakyat, says Jeffrey Kitingan.

PENAMPANG: Voters in Sabah have been urged to take the ‘sweets’ handed out by the Barisan Nasional (BN) ahead of general election with a pinch of salt.

Sabah STAR chairman, Jeffrey Kitingan, speaking at the party’s Chinese New Year gathering cum dinner organised at the Donggongon township near here recently, said he did not doubt that people were aware of the government’s vote-fishing tactics but felt he needed to drill the point home.

Giving handouts in the form of aids and grants for Chinese schools, Chinese associations and NGOs as well as religious bodies and temples, he said, were always the final assault of a government bankrupt of ideas and desperate to win back the people to its side.

He said everyone could see the handouts were being given because the BN state government had failed to improve the state economy and leaving many, especially those living in the rural areas, to struggle to make a living.

“No doubt this (aid) is helpful, but the government is fishing for Chinese votes in the coming general election.

“What we all need is the proverbial fishing facilities to catch our own fish. These handouts do not contribute to the long term prospects of the Chinese community.

“What we sorely need are wholesome and real changes in the policies of the government which will open more doors for economic advancement, not ad hoc and charitable handouts in the name of the Umno/BN government.

“The Chinese people too have a lot of complaints due to problems affecting their businesses,” he said, and cited as example how the business community in Sabah had been pleading for years for the abolishment of the cabotage policy but had been ignored.

“So the government has to do a lot of sweet talking to try to give false confidence to the business community,” he added.

Organising chairman Philip Among also announced the STAR Selamatkan Sabah Tanah Airku (Save Sabah My Homeland) series of campaigns during the event.

“Penampang should be at the forefront of the fight for the restoration of Sabah’s rights and autonomy,” he said when inviting all those who attended to participate.