The federal government did not marginalize Penang and the achievements enjoyed by the current state government are due to efforts carried out by the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) state government.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said among the successful effort done by the previous state government was developing the health tourism.

He cited that the development of health tourism in Penang since 1996 through the state and federal government’s establishing cooperation, was one of the achievements of the previous state government.

“As a result, Penang has been receiving the highest number of tourists in the health tourism sector. This does not happen only now but since then 1990’s,” he said in his speech during the Penang BN Chinese New Year open house here recently.

The open house was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his wife Puan Sri Nooraini Abdul Rahman and the Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Koh who is also Penang BN chairman, said the state has achieved tremendous progress and endowed with good infrastructures as a result of the federal government’s assistance for the past 40 years since the era of former chief minister Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu.

“The previous BN state government had provided a strong foundation and platform for the present state government to manage the state,” he said.

However, in his speech, Muhyiddin urged Lim to offer fair service to the people in the state, regardless of their race, by giving them opportunities to do business in the interest of the people’s economic development.

He said the federal government’s policies and projects have benefited everyone and called on Lim to also be fair to the people of the state.

“Serve the people of Penang, (whether they are) Malays or Chinese or Indians. (If) the Malays do business, they have problems, give them an opportunity to do business including anyone at all who want to earn a living by themselves,” he said.

Muhyiddin added that Penang was never sidelined by Barisan and the state had also benefited from the success of National Key Results Area (NKRA) initiatives.

“We will continue to develop Penang because the rakyat need our assistance,” he said.

Earlier, Muhyiddin who is accompanied by his wife Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman were greeted by eight lion dance troupes, upon their arrival at Penang Chinese Town Hall here.

Also present in the open house were state Gerakan chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan, state MCA chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, state Umno deputy chairman Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir, state MIC chairman Datuk P.K Subaiyyah and other state BN component party leaders, members and supporters.

Muhyiddin then led state BN leaders in singing a Chinese New Year song for about 5,000 guests before the traditional yee sang tossing ceremony.

The celebration was organised with much pomp and splendour with a host of cultural performances, including chingay, a cultural parade of lion dances and other festivities.

There was also a choir performance by state Gerakan members.

by Editorial Desk
gerakan4u.com