Najib rethinks campaign promise after Sibu vote
By Syed Jaymal Zahiid, The Malaysian Insider
Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today he has yet to decide if he will approve the RM5 million flood mitigation projects promised to Sibu voters if Barisan Nasional (BN) won yesterday’s by-election.
The prime minister had struck a “deal” with the voters there during the Sibu vote, promising allocations to alleviate the prolonged flooding problems in the area if they backed BN.
“We’ll see first because we have not made any decision on that,” Najib told a press conference here.
The prime minister had made a last-minute pitch in a DAP stronghold on Saturday, when he announced an allocation of RM5 million for flood-mitigation projects in Rejang Park.
“If Robert Lau becomes the MP on Sunday, on Monday I will ask the cheque to be prepared. Do we have a deal or not? We do! You want the RM5 million, I want Robert Lau to win,” Najib reportedly told the crowd.
His remarks sparked an uproar among Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders and election observers who described Najib’s campaigning manner as an insult and a form of “blackmail” to the voters.
DAP chairman Karpal Singh has called on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to probe Najib for alleged corruption. The prime minister’s “deal”, said the Batu Gelugor MP further, was also illegal under the Elections Offences Act.
