REJECT ‘UNRELIABLE’ PAKATAN

By : SHAZWAN MUSTAFA KAMAL

KUALA LANGAT : Datuk Seri Najib Razak continued to heap pressure on the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat (PR) administration ahead of impending polls, saying the federal opposition is 'unreliable' in government.

The Prime Minister pledged his Barisan Nasional’s (BN) unconditional support for the rural community here, saying that unlike PR his administration would not make any empty promises.

The BN chief had said earlier today the pact would target a 14-0 victory at federal polls that must be called within a year in the 13 states as well as the federal territories.

This followed the Umno president’s claim last night that PKR, which controls Selangor, was in crisis after a spate of internal conflicts, and called on voters to pick a party that “can determine the continuation of stability and confidence.”

“The opposition has three bad qualities. They have never fulfilled their promises, it is all political promises.

“They do not value a good deed, they also do not feel the need to pay their debts,” the prime minister told a 5,000-strong crowd here.

“If we die without paying out debts, our souls will be tortured (in the afterlife),” said Najib, ostensibly referring to PR’s stand on student loans under the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN).

“That is why the opposition cannot be relied upon and only Barisan Nasional can provide a future full of hope for the people of Selangor,” he added.

Among a slew of announcements made by Najib today included a RM2.6 million allocation for Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Pulau Carey and a promise to look into acquiring land for the Indian community to build their homes here.

The Pekan MP has previously said BN was ready to win the next general election as well as take back Selangor, and that public feedback has been encouraging.

He said people have been telling him BN has regained public support since the 2008 polls.

The PM has said BN must win back Selangor, a key state due to its industrial and natural resources, “at all costs.”

But Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has maintained that state reserves have improved tremendously under PR and it was currently at RM1.9 billion.

The Ijok assemblyman has also pointed out Selangor contributes 22 per cent of the country’s gross domestic income and that the state’s successes were partly due to PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is the state economic adviser.

But he was forced today to deny that his government was in crisis, saying a spate of conflicts between the PKR-led state administration and leaders from the party were due to “normal” differences of opinion in politics.

The Bandar Tun Razak MP’s remarks come following PKR chief strategist Rafizi Ramli’s resignation as chief executive of the Selangor economic adviser’s office as well as recent calls from within PKR for the Khalid’s political secretary Faekah Husin to leave her post.

There was speculation that Rafizi’s decision had come about due to a rift between him and Khalid over a free education project in the state and also factionalism within the Selangor PKR leadership.

The post of economic adviser to the Selangor government is held by Opposition Leader Anwar.

The post for Anwar was created in 2009, just months after Selangor PKR chief Azmin Ali criticised Khalid’s administration and called for a reshuffle of the state executive council.

Rafizi has denied that there were political considerations behind his resignation.

Khalid also defended his embattled political secretary Faekah, saying the controversy surrounding her issuing a support letter was a “non-issue”.

Faekah had allegedly written to a Selangor GLC (government-linked-company) director to recommend a law firm belonging to her relative for appointment on the GLC’s legal panel.

The letter was purportedly issued with the letterhead of the Selangor mentri besar’s office.

This was revealed this week by an anti-Faekah faction within PKR, which has demanded she step down as Khalid’s political secretary.

“It is not a recommendation letter. The issue of a support does not arise, even I am used to writing these letters,” Khalid said today.