RM600 for vote-buying in Sibu by-election

Wednesday May 12, 2010

Good news for 246 families

SIBU: Some 246 families living in an under-developed region in Sungai Igan near here will receive a total of RM147,600 as a one-off allocation from the Federal Government.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said he had just received word that each of the families would receive RM600.

"The Prime Minister just informed me that he had approved the assistance for families from all the 12 longhouses in this area.

"Barisan Nasional is concerned about all people regardless of where they are living.

"Over the past 20 years, I have been visiting longhouses in the state but still, it is not possible for me to visit everyone.

"There is still a lot of work to do and the longhouse people must continue to remain loyal to Barisan," he said at Rumah Daniel, Tanjung Penasu, located along Sungai Igan.

He said in the eyes of Barisan, everyone was equal and deserved equal treatment.

However, those who are weaker need more help, he added.

"Our commitment is to help everybody so that they will one day be able to enjoy the same standard of living, whether they are from the rural areas or the urban areas," he said.

Taib also promised the longhouses there that he would give them generator sets if they did not have any electricity supply yet.

However, he said the state government did not have enough funds to give to every settlement immediately and that these development funds need to be channelled in stages.

During his visit, the longhouse elders told Taib that their settlements were badly affected by floods every year.

The roads were in bad shape and needed repair and upgrading urgently, they said, adding that other basic amenities like water and electricity were still lacking.

Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/5/12/sibu/6240819&sec=sibu