KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim urged Kedah voters to change the state’s leadership, saying the incumbent Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration had neglected them.

Anwar said the Kedah government, which had been under the PAS-PN coalition for three years, had failed to fix the state’s issues, its leaders were arrogant and devoid of ideas to help improve the state’s economy and none of them had done anything to help the hardcore poor.

He said PAS leaders had ample time in office to help the poor, army veterans and former public servants but instead they had enriched themselves and are living lavish lives while the people of Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan continued to suffer.

“They keep using DAP, Christians and all other manner of reasons to scare the Muslims. So when you end up voting, you know deep in your heart that they (PAS-PN) are terrible leaders but because they scare you by using Islam, saying that ‘If I vote Anwar, I won’t go to heaven’.

“Then they use elections to tease, berate and ridicule others, while we are trying to educate the people and make them realise that they are being duped with religion.

“Ask yourselves why you’re still poor, why facilities are poor and so on. But then all the problems are placed squarely on my lap when I had nothing to do with it,” Anwar said during the final speech of the election campaign in Kedah last night.

“I really want to be a good prime minister, guys. I want children of all races to know we care about them. So in these elections, please safeguard our democracy.

“If you want to slander, ridicule, and critique, go ahead, but be fair and reasonable. Don’t forget I’ve been oppressed, beaten and imprisoned, but I forgave them all and I only want to do what’s best for the country.

“So tomorrow make sure you vote for PH and bring forth the change that you all want and need,” he added.

In his closing remarks, Anwar warned that he forgives everyone once, but if anyone continues to be unreasonable and slanderous, he will not hesitate to confront them.

“So thank you very much, get some sleep, wake up tomorrow, and after prayers, vote well,” he concluded.