Indian community not easily fooled by empty promises - PM Najib





KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak believes that the Indian community in the country is not easily fooled by the opposition pact´s empty promises including to eradicate their problems within the period of 100 days.

Instead, he said the people could wisely judge and increasingly convinced that many problems had been resolved by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government.

"Looking at the history concerning the fate of the Indians, where was the turning point", it started in 2009 when I became the deputy prime minister and later the prime minister," he said when launching the B40 Indian Community Special Investment Scheme (SPKMI) here today.

Since then, Najib said, problems involving the Indian community, including on documentation, education and business opportunities had been solved.

"I don´t think the Indians are so stupid to believe what is being promised by the opposition ... the Indian community knows their future is with BN," he said.

Also present at the event were Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam, who is also MIC president, Lembah Pantai BN chairman Datuk Seri Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin and Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar.

Najib, who is BN chairman, said a former leader was unable to solve the problems of the Indians despite having ruled the country for 22 years and now he had made empty promises that all the problems could be solved within 100 days.

"The leader of 22 years has bad traits, (he) likes to blame others and not himself including the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) forex losses, Ops Lalang and Memali incident.

"He cannot blame (the then) MIC president Tun S. Samy Vellu who was the Works Minister as the cause of the problems of the Indian community in education, economics and other aspects because his portfolios are only on works, not financial, Economic Planning Unit (EPU) and education," Najib said.

Hence, Najib said he was confident that the development of the country could be carried out inclusively without any people being maginalised.

He said under the helm of other leaders, the country was developed fairly and equitably to ensure a better future.

-- BERNAMA