Source: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/state_news/news.php?id=198318&cat=sre
May 19, 2006 12:46 PM
Samy Gives “Friendly” Advice To Pujut DAP Candidate
MIRI, May 19 (Bernama) – Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu Friday gave some “friendly” advice to the DAP candidate for Pujut, Fong Pau Teck for campaigning by the roadside during peak hours and adding to the already massive traffic congestion.
“He is not getting any support by doing so. He is only irritating people and causing more traffic congestion. This campaign style is only practised in Taiwan and I don’t think the people of Sarawak would fall for this tactic,” he told reporters at the Miri Public Works Department.
He said the opposition candidate had been telling the electorate that he would build an interchange to ease the traffic congestion at the Pujut roundabout if he won the seat.
“You can’t build an overhead bridge or a bypass without any planning and financial support. I have been in politics for 43 years and I know what the DAP is good at. They are only good at poisoning the minds of the people. I don’t want the people to think that the DAP is doing this project.”
“The Barisan Nasional (BN) government had already planned and approved the construction of an interchange at the Pujut roundabout and the upgrading of roadworks from the Miri airport to Lutong. In total, the two projects cost RM45 million,” said Samy Vellu, who is also the MIC president.
Fong, who would be challenged BN’s Andy Chia Chu Fatt in Pujut, had since nomination day stood by busy roadsides here during peak hours to boost his popularity.
Samy Vellu said work on the two projects would begin soon and would be completed in three months but “these projects are not just a gimmick for the election but was planned even before the BN government dissolved the state assembly”.
On another note, the Works Minister said the ministry would apply to the Economic Planning Unit in the Prime Minister’s Department to bear the cost of road upgrading works from Beleru to Long Teru, in the interior of Sarawak.
"The Beleru-Long Teru stretch would help about 50,000 people living in villages in that area and its surroundings. Presently it is just a gravel road and we want it paved like any other road. It would cost the federal government some RM145 million.
“When I landed at the Miri airport just now, I was met by a group of Orang Ulu and they requested that this wish of theirs be granted by the government. I will try my best to get this project started,” he said.
Samy Vellu also said the Miri Public Works Department had submitted a total of 13 projects for this division totalling some RM1.089 billion.
“Out of this, RM571 million is under the Ninth Malaysia Plan. We would try to get all these projects completed before the plan is out,” he added.
– BERNAMA
