PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called on Kedahans to back Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) in the upcoming state elections, insisting he’s not the enemy despite Kedah’s fractious relationship with Putrajaya.

Speaking at a Madani Kedah event in Alor Setar, Anwar again denied claims that he had sidelined states governed by Perikatan Nasional (PN), including the PAS-led Kedah.

“Since I became finance minister, I’ve increased the allocations for the four states (governed by PN), including Kedah.

“Kelantan suffered terrible floods, so I added a flood mitigation project worth RM1 billion. It’s not that I need (support from) Kelantan, but I pity the people.

“I ask all of you to understand this. I am not anyone’s enemy. I am here to say that it is time for Kedah to be developed again,” he told the crowd gathered at Dataran Stargate.

Anwar Ibrahim said the cost of hosting the Hari Raya open house in Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu would actually be cheaper than having it in Putrajaya. (Bernama pic)

Anwar also dismissed criticism levelled against him over the Hari Raya open house he will host in Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan, saying it would actually be cheaper than the annual open house in Seri Perdana.

“It’s not as if we will win the state election just because of that one event.

“I don’t want you to support me because of an open house. I want you to support the unity government because our policies uplift the people and the nation,” he said.

Kedah is among the six states that must hold their state elections within the next three months. The other five states are Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kelantan, and Terengganu.

Earlier this month, it was announced that the prime minister’s annual Hari Raya open house will be held in Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu this year.

This is the first time that the annual open house will not be held at the prime minister’s official residence in Putrajaya.

Anwar will also attend three other Hari Raya open houses in Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan, organised by the respective state governments.

This drew brickbats from the opposition, who claimed it contradicted Putrajaya’s commitment to do away with massive events to cut costs and that the government was politicising the festivities with the state polls looming. FMT

Kedah’s water woes over if we form state govt, says Zahid

PETALING JAYA: Deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Kedah’s water problems would be resolved should the unity coalition come to power in Kedah after the coming state elections.

Addressing the crowd at the Madani Kedah event in Alor Setar, he asked how many folks were affected by poor water supply during Aidilfitri festivities in Kedah.

Zahid said he did not want the water problems in Kedah to result in water like that in Kelantan, which he said was akin to coffee in its colour.

“God willing, if the Kedah state government is under the unity government, the water issues will be resolved by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, once and for all. “Because the prime minister is also the finance minister. And even if he forgets, I will remind him to help the people of Kedah,” he said.

On Monday, Kuala Kedah Umno chief Abdul Muthalib Harun had urged the state government to address the water supply shortage that had affected more than 35,000 homes in the constituency during the festive season.

He said the state government, under Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor’s leadership, should not shift the blame to the previous state government.

“The federal government has already approved funding for the upgrading of water treatment plants and to replace the old water pipe lines in all affected areas,” he reportedly said.

The Kedah state executive councillor for water supply, Mohamad Yusoff @ Munir Zakaria said Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional were careless and negligent about Kedah’s water problems.

“The fact is that the people of Kedah clearly see the commitment of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government led by Sanusi who is trying to resolve this water supply issue.

“The people can see, in almost all districts in the state, that pipe replacement is actively being carried out so that the water supply will not be affected in the future,” he said in a statement.  FMT

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