PUTRAJAYA, Jan 18 ― Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng today denied telling Cameron Highlands voters to support Pakatan Harapan (PH) if they want the Pahang parliamentary constituency developed, claiming his remarks were misunderstood.
Instead, Lim who is also DAP secretary-general said he meant there should be two governments to help develop Cameron Highlands ― the PH-run federal government and the Barisan Nasional-controlled state government.
“So if we get an MP from PH, we can help develop Cameron Highlands together.
“But if we depend on the state government alone for development, Cameron Highlands could become disrupted,” he told a news conference here.
“This is because Pahang has the highest debt of all the states in Malaysia at RM3.1 billion. Will they have the funds and wherewithal to develop it?” Lim asked.
He was reported to have made the remarks following a visit to the Felda Sungai Koyan night market in Cameron Highlands two days ago.
Yesterday, electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0 criticised the minister for his remarks as discriminatory against federal Opposition-held constituencies.
The Cameron Highlands by-election was called after the Election Court voided the GE14 victory by MIC vice-president Datuk C. Sivarraajh, ruling that some voters had been bribed to back the BN.
Polling day is January 26.
