Opposition failed to bring development to Hutan Melintang - Ahmad Zahid
BAGAN DATUK, May 6 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi urged voters in Jendarata Plantation to give Barisan Nasional (BN) a chance to care for and serve the people there in the 14th General Election (GE14) on May 9.
He said even though the opposition pact had held the Hutan Melintang state constituency for two terms since 2008, there had been no progress in the area brought by it.
Ahmad Zahid, who is defending the Bagan Datuk parliamentary seat for the sixth term, said that the development in Hutan Melintang was largely assisted by the involvement of the private sector.
"I hope Jendarata voters will give me and BN candidate for this area Datuk Khairuddin (Tarmizi) a chance in this general election.
"The two-term incumbent (S. Kesavan from PKR) is good, he is my friend. But he has gone to the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat," he said in his speech when meeting about 300 people, who were mostly Indians, from the United Plantations estate in Hutan Melintang here today.
Also present were United Plantations Berhad (UPB) chief executive director Datuk Carl Bek-Nielsen, UPB executive director of Marketing and Finance Martin Bek-Nielsen, former myPPP president Tan Sri M. Kayveas and Khairuddin.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said that Carl Bek-Nielsen had agreed to offer a 100-acre (40 hectares) land owned by UPB in Hutan Melintang to be developed as a new town which would cater for housing estates and shop lots.
"Between Simpang Empat and Pekan Bagan Datuk there will be Bandar Baharu UP (United Plantations). We will see Bagan Datuk progress in the next five years.
"I asked the Bandar Baru UP to be built with 5,000 units of houses and ready within five years from now to accommodate the 10,000 job opportunities we have offered," he said.
Ahmad Zahid also praised the management of the plantation company for maintaining the welfare of the workers such as providing housing facilities.
-- BERNAMA
