DECEMBER 22 — Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Haji Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah was dishonest in claiming that development in the East Coast state has been kept deliberately slow (Malaysiakini, December 22, 2017) with the bizarre excuse that “kampung folk cannot keep up with development” and the oft-abused excuse of “causing social ills.”
PAS Kelantan should just be truthful that it wants to ape the Talibans or the IS regimes in Syria and Iraq by being dogmatic, retrogressive and narrow minded in the name of religion.
Mohd Amar insults the entire Kelantanese communities by stereotyping them as backward people incapable of innovation nor enterprise. He should just admit that PAS state Excos, like the Talibans and IS warlords, are chieftains in their mini kingdom who just want to maintain themselves in power via PREVENTING Kelantese folks from progress and development.
As progress and liberation of the rural folks pose a threat to the PAS leadership, the Kelantan PAS Excos realise the need to keep them backward and trapped in poverty, with the seriously flawed logic that “kampung folk cannot keep up with development (Malaysiakini, December 21, 2017).
The truth is PAS failed in their administration of the Kelantan state after decades in power. None of their policies or products are benefiting or liberating the rural folks from the vicious circle of poverty. PAS leadership has failed and is unable to bring progress and development to the state.
Mohd Amar should admit it like a God-fearing soul instead of spinning lies like a “lousy” politician. They should stop being lame and superficial and admit that they have failed the rakyat.
Enough has been written about the paradoxes of PAS’ claims of “social ills” arising from concerts, sports and in this case “development.” Not only is Kelantan state among the highest with HIV, pil kuda (methamphetamine) abuse, let us not forget Kelantan’s very high ranking for sexual violations, incest cases, pornography viewership and mat rempit menace among all states in Malaysia.
Kelantan is richly endowed with culture and heritage e.g. batik, silver and wood carving, and the now state-prohibited mak yong dances, and wayang kulit puppet plays. Similar to Langkawi, Kelantan too is blessed with pristine beaches.
These are value added points which Kelantan can leverage on to propel the state but the PAS-helm administrators are just killing off these positive attributes in the name of religion and “social ills.”
Yet, for all the so-called “social ills” which Mohd Amar claims Langkawi is struck with, why do so many youths attempt entrepreneurship, seek employment in the hotel and hospitality industry in Langkawi, or tourists make a beeline for this Kedah island, as opposed to unemployed youth in Kelantan who idle away as drug addicts or mat rempits?
Likewise, Kelantan is not a sought-after tourist destination. The PAS state government should recognise that responsible development of the state and enterprise will attract tourists and investors, thus benefit its people, especially kampung folks who could leverage on homestay programmes.
Micro-managing people’s live, giving misinformation to keep its citizens in regressive mode, MCA urges Kelantanese folks to ditch PAS and vote BN, so that advancement can be conceived in this East Coast state.
* Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker is MCA's publicity spokesman (English/Bahasa Malaysia) and Religious Harmony Bureau chairman
** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.
