Monday March 11, 2013

Political parties urged to help people in order to get their support

By VANES DEVINDRAN
vanes@thestar.com.my

KUCHING: Political parties need to take drastic action to tackle the difficulties faced by the ordinary people if they want their support.

The Federation of Kuching Community Associations president Datuk Sim Swee Yong said some of the issues which the federation took note of was rising cost of living, lack of economic opportunities and widening gap in the distribution of income between the haves and have-nots.

“It has been noted that there is a great division between the people in the urban and rural areas. We foresee that for the coming parliamentary election, the voting pattern would not change unless drastic action is being taken by the political parties in Sarawak,” he said at the federation’s Chinese New Year gathering here on Saturday night.

He said justice and fairness must always be upheld for all and the elected government must allow all Malaysians to prosper and live in harmony.

Sim said the people were fortunate because the current Government had implemented various programmes to help them.

He gave as examples the cash aid BR1M and BR1M 2.0, Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia, Klinik 1Malaysia, Program Skim Perumahan Rakyat 1Malaysia as government’s measures to ease the burden of the people.

He said the Government also had other programmes to help the needy as well as encourage entrepreneurship to raise the income level of the people. He said since the last state and general election, much had changed.

“Peaceful assembly laws were enacted giving the citizens more freedom. But with this freedom, comes responsibility. Despite this, we have seen that there are parties out to destroy the peace and stability we have enjoyed all these years. We must not allow negative elements in.

“Malaysia is a free and democratic country and we should use our votes to voice our concern and not through street demonstrations,” he said.

Sim believed that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s initiatives through the transformation programmes would yield good economic growth and the people should support the positive change.

In Sarawak, he said Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib’s initiative under the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) had drawn in much foreign investment and the spillover effect could be felt throughout the state with better income and more business opportunities.

Earlier, organising chairman Tay Boon Sin urged the associations’ members to know what was happening outside their areas.

“I know that community associations would only want to deal with issues that affect their members and areas but you also need to take note of national issues so that you can confront problems that reach you,” he said.

As such, he urged all the 23 community associations here to pool their resources and maintain closer rapport for support.

News

Monday March 11, 2013

Political parties urged to help people in order to get their support

By VANES DEVINDRAN vanes@thestar.com.my

By VANES DEVINDRAN
vanes@thestar.com.my