'Confident But Not Complacent' Badawi Takes Malaysian Election Campaigning to His Opponent's Heartland
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (ots/PRNewswire)
- Prime Minister says 'vote for change' on the stump in northern state of Kelantan, Malaysia
Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi today took his campaign into the very heartland of his political opponents, Kelantan state, currently governed by the opposition conservative Islamist party PAS, in a sign of his increasing confidence that his economic message is breaking through with voters.
Throughout the first week of the campaign, Mr. Badawi has been highlighting the strong economic performance of his government and contrasting it with the risk to the prosperity of Malaysia's hard working families from the opposition's "unaffordable election handouts, unrealistic election promises and undeliverable election pledges".
Buoyed up by new figures from Malaysia's Central Bank showing the best GDP growth figures since 2004, Prime Minister Badawi drew attention to the failures of 18 years of PAS control in Kelantan.
Addressing supporters, the Prime Minister said, "It is time for change in Kelantan. 18 years of PAS rule is long enough. Take a look at the 18 year long PAS record in Kelantan. More families live in poverty here. Fewer children go to school here. I look at what 18 years of PAS rule means in reality and I know it is time to deliver new prosperity, fresh opportunity and a better life for hard working families in Kelantan."
"Ours is a confident campaign but not a complacent one. Confident because our message of security, peace and prosperity for all is important for the whole of our country. Not complacent because our warning of the economic risks to hard working families from PAS's unrealistic election promises is real and relevant to everyone. It is time to end the divisiveness, disunity and failure which PAS offers. It is time for proven leadership, not failed leadership in our country."
Kelantan has a population of approximately 1.4 million and is situated in the north of Malaysia, bordering Thailand. The Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) has been in power there for 18 years. Kelantan has a GDP per capita of about RM8, 700 almost 45% lower than the national figure. Kelantan has the third highest rate of poverty in Malaysia. Some 13% of children in Kelantan never attend school compared with 10% across the whole of Malaysia. Progress in literacy is the third lowest of any state in Malaysia.
Contact:
Chong Sin Woon of BN2008, +6019-382-8461,
campaignupdates@BN2008.org.my