Najib raises stake in Hulu Selangor battle
By Adib Zalkapli, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA KUBU BARU, April 23 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak handed out RM50,000 in cash each to 100 Felda settlers and promised more money as Barisan Nasional (BN) continued to up the ante in its bid to win this Sunday’s Hulu Selangor by-election.
The Prime Minister, who has already called this Sunday’s vote a referendum on his administration, hit the hustings again today as both the BN and PR campaigns narrowed their focus to crucial Malay votes.
Earlier today Selangor’s PR mentri besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim urged Felda settlers to accept any money offered by BN, but warned them against signing away their rights and reminded them that the federal government had failed to address their grouses while it was in power in Selangor.
Sungai Buaya settlers were promised RM1.2 million each when they sold their land to a developer after being persuaded by the BN state government in 1994.
The transaction involved their collective land stretching 1,335.46 hectares.
They were also promised a North-South Expressway interchange to boost development in the area, but it has yet to materialise.
Today, Najib today handed RM50,000 in cash to 100 settlers of the former Felda scheme in Sungai Buaya, near here.
“Some people call these election goodies, but let me assure you that all promises made here will be fulfilled,” said Najib at a gathering with the villagers.
The prime minister added that each settler would receive RM160,000 per acre once their abandoned agricultural land is developed.
