Pak Lah to look into ‘hotspots’

The Star

ALOR STAR: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will give his personal attention to the three states that are regarded as “hotspots” in the next general election. 

The Prime Minister said the Government would monitor and pay attention to the arising issues in Selangor, Penang and Kedah.

He expressed gratitude to former Finance Minister Tun Daim Zainuddin for alerting the Government on the potential “hotspots”. 

“Thank you. I will look into it,” he said after visiting flood victims in SK Gunong yesterday. 

Daim was quoted in a Chinese daily as saying that the Government should pay more attention to the three states ahead of the upcoming general election. 

In an exclusive interview with China Press, Daim had said that based on his findings and feedback gathered from the people, the Government should give priority in resolving existing issues affecting the three states before the general election. 

He pointed out that the middle-income group in Selangor were generally unhappy with certain decisions made by the Government. 

Daim was quoted as saying that the Penang government’s policy had always come under public scrutiny, and that complaints and demands should be taken seriously to avoid a wind of change in the next general election. 

Abdullah also expressed “delight” that more than 87% of free textbooks had been distributed to schools. 

“This is good news,” he said in response to Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein’s announcement that the bulk of the free books had been distributed. 

“By New Year, the school children will get their textbooks,” he said, adding that free textbooks would also lift the parents’ financial burden.