Najib wants Selangor back in BN’s clutches

(Bernama) – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today he wants Selangor back in Barisan Nasional’s (BN) fold.

Describing the state as the heartbeat of the country, he said, the BN has a bright chance of winning back the state provided that component parties, led by Umno, are prepared to change, he said when opening the Kuala Selangor Umno delegates’ meeting here today.

There is also a need for Umno and component parties to work together based on the spirit of consensus, he said.

“This is my hope… my message is, if we want to win, let’s act in a way that allows us to win. Let’s not say we want to win but court defeats in our deeds,” said Najib, who is also Selangor Umno chief.

Najib, who is Pekan member of parliament, also spoke of what he called the “Pekan Formula” which saw him rising in the political arena to become the prime minister and party president.

Najib said he implemented numerous changes after his narrow victory in Pekan in the 1999 general election, where he won by a mere 241-vote majority.

He said many felt that his political career was nearing an end but he nevertheless stood by the Pekan parliamentary seat even though he could choose to contest in safer seats in subsequent elections.

He said he began analysing the situation in a realistic manner and implement changes based on his sincere observation.

“We must be able to read the situation correctly… we must listen to the voices and aspirations of the people.

“If it’s a black area, we don’t say it’s a grey area. If it’s a grey area, we don’t say it’s a white area,” he said.

In the following election, he won by a thumping majority of 22,922 votes and last year, the winning margin increased to 26,464 votes.

The prime minister said leaders should go down to the grassroots, keep their promises, work for the people and not for their clique and be sincere in discharging their duties.

He said it was important for leaders to be sincere as this would determine whether they could get the extra support from the people. Leaders who failed to keep their promises would lose the support of the people, he said.

“When that happens, they can only become the people’s representatives for one term,” he said

Najib said it was important for the party to listen to the voices of the people so that it could translate them into policies, otherwise there would be a disconnect between the policies and the people’s aspirations.

When policies were in line with the people’s hopes, aspirations and expectations, they would readily support the government, he said.

He also said that the BN should be seen as a party with less problems.

This was not the case among opposition parties which were prone to clashing every now and then, said Najib. Unlike the opposition pact, the prime minister said, the BN had proven that it could unite its component parties.

He also said that the BN should be fair to the people in line with the 1 Malaysia concept.

“Being fair to all races is required in Islam and if Umno is fair to all, it will be respected by them,” he said.

At the event, Najib presented RM200 worth of Amanah Saham 1 Malaysia each to Saidon Alang, Tamodharan Manavalan and Loh Chooi Peng.