JOHOR MB TICKED OFF BY PARTY'S TACTICS

By HAMDAN RAJA ABDULLAH
metrose@thestar.com.my

New ground: Abdul Ghani Othman (wearing a white safety helmet on the heavy machine) conducting a ground-breaking ceremony for a new multi-purpose hall for the Indian community in Ladang Tanah Merah near Tangkak. - By HAMDAN RAJA ABDULLAH

TANGKAK: The Johor Mentri Besar has ticked off certain opposition party leaders for adopting the politics of hatred by accusing Umno behind the Lahad Datu incident.

Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said these leaders were willing to adopt such a dirty political tactic to incite the people towards hating Umno over the intrusion in Lahad Datu.

Speaking to the Indian community here he said they stooped so low just to make people hate Umno as they intention was to weaken Barisan Nasional.

“We hope the people would not believe what they said and continue to give their supports to Barisan.

“The opposition parties cannot govern the country as each had different political agendas,” he said before conducting a ground- breaking ceremony for a new multi-purpose hall for the Indian community in Ladang Tanah Merah near here.

Abdul Ghani, who was accompanied by Johor MIC chairman Datuk K.S. Balakrishnan, said the opposition parties also accused Umno of corruption and cronyism.

He said it was ironical for the opposition leaders to accuse Umno when they were the ones who had family members holding top posts in the respective parties.

He also said the state government, which is under Umno, always gave importance to the need of the people, including the Indian community in Johor.

“We have allocated millions of ringgit to the community, especially in building Tamil schools, temples and other facilities, in Johor.

“We urge the community not to support the opposition parties in the coming general election,” he said.

Meanwhile, Balakrishnan said more than 80% of Indian voters in Johor would support Barisan candidates in the coming general election.

“We have about 104,000 Indian voters and I am confident that majority of them will vote Barisan this time,” he added.

SOURCE: THE STAR, MARCH 18, 2013