Ahmad Zahid seeks BN mandate from Kelantan folk 
BACHOK, March 16 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today called on the people of Kelantan to give the Barisan Nasional (BN) the mandate in the 14th General Election to administer and develop the state.
He said the time had come for Kelantan UMNO Liaison Committee chairman Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed and the BN to develop the state and prosper the people.
It was enough for the people of Kelantan to have remained under PAS rule for 27 years, he said, adding that it was now the time for Tok Pa (Mustapa) to lead the development in the state.
"Give BN the mandate once," he said at the handing over of cost-of-living aid to farmers and fishermen at Pantai Irama here.
Also present at the event were Ahmad Zahid's wife, Datin Seri Hamidah Khamis; Mustapa (who is the International Trade and Industry Minister); Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub and Bachok UMNO Division chief Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin.
Ahmad Zahid, who is an UMNO vice-president also discharging the duties of the deputy president, said the BN government had the capability to develop Kelantan and champion the plight of the people.
The people should be grateful for all the development that the federal government had brought to Kelantan all this while, he said, adding that the BN could bring much more development if it administered the state.
Ahmad Zahid said the UMNO and BN machinery should work hard to help all BN candidates win in the next general election.
In his speech that was interspersed with applause from the thousands of people present, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a RM2-million allocation for the repair of mosques, RM2.5 million for the repair of houses, RM1 million as aid for single mothers and RM1 million to build a new office for the Bachok District Fishermen's Association.
He also announced that a MARA polytechnic would be built in Bachok and that the name of the Jelawat station of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) had been changed to Universiti Malaysia Kelantan station.
At the event, Ahmad Zahid handed over cost-of-living aid totalling RM853,798 to farmers in the Kemasin Semerak Integrated Agriculture Development Area that was affected by floods last year. He also handed over cost-of-living aid totalling RM2.93 million to fishermen in the Bachok district.
-- BERNAMA
