PUTRAJAYA, April 26 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Monday dismissed claims that the Barisan Nasional (BN) was involved in buying votes to win the Hulu Selangor by-election Sunday.
The prime minister said various projects announced in Hulu Selangor recently were to resolve long-standing problems faced by the residents.
"We didn't buy votes but we solve people's problems. Those are genuine problems which have not been addressed for some time. They are really genuine.
"It's not that we went around saying 'look, we give you this, we give you that', no," he told reporters after opening the Malaysia Green Forum 2010 here.
Present were former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is Landskap Malaysia's advisor, and his wife, Tun Jeanne Abdullah, who is chairman of Landskap Malaysia.
Najib was asked to comment on the opposition's claim that the BN had spent RM167 million on projects to win votes in Hulu Selangor.
In Sunday's by-election, the BN's P. Kamalanathan beat PKR's Datuk Zaid Ibrahim with a 1,725-vote majority, polling 24,997 votes against Zaid's 23,272 votes.
The BN chairman said projects such as the newly-built elevated interchange near Sungai Buaya were meant to solve the problems of the people of that constituency.
"It was on the basis that people wanted these projects, just like the interchange (near Sungai Buaya). The interchange was done by PLUS (Plus Expressways Bhd). It's not public money.
"It's PLUS and the interchange will help people in that area because it can cut down the travelling time by 60 to 90 minutes. So we are adressing the genuine needs of the people. We are not buying votes," he said.
Najib said of the opposition: "They should also ask themselves what they have done with the state government's resources. Haven't they been approving all kind of things for the people during elections?
"They have been doing that. So don't point the finger at the Barisan Nasional. Please look at themselves," he said.
Najib also expressed satisfaction that the BN was able to capture a seat in a state which was considered a handicap for the party.
"I am happy with the result because it shows that the trend is definitely moving towards the Barisan Nasional. It is a good victory because we were fighting a battle in a state controlled by the opposition," he said.
"We were handicapped in that sense. However the victory is a good victory because we can build on this victory and it has given the Barisan Nasional a lot of new spirit and hope for the future.
"It has to be a sustainable victory and we will sustain our victory by understanding what needs to be done for the long haul. So it cannot just be a one-off victory but (we must) build on it and strengthen what needs to be done so that the Barisan Nasional becomes the party for the future as well," he said.
However, the prime minister believes that the ultimate test for the BN would be the next general election.
"The ultimate test will of course be the general election. So far from what I have heard, I am very encouraged that there is an underlying support among the public and we hope to show results and the people want to see the results.
"We are committed to ensuring that our execution and implementation will be showing the way in terms of delivering the results that the people would like us to do," he added.
In KUALA LUMPUR, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin gave an assurance that the BN would keep all the promises that it had made in the Hulu Selangor by-election, including in places that did not favour the coalition.
"Promises must be fully fulfilled. We don't look at the areas that we have won or lost. We feel that if we win, we should fulfil all the promises that we have announced," he told reporters after the presentation of the 2010 National Intellectual Property award.
He said part of the list had been received and would be discussed with Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Noh Omar as minsiter responsible to the prime minister to ensure that all the projects announced were implemented in the shortest possible time.
He also said that the BN would conduct a detailed study to determine the voter trend in all aspects in the area according to race and where the vote increase and decrease were obvious.
He said the findings of the analysis would be used by the BN to craft strategies not just to win elections but also to gauge the receptiveness of Malaysians to the changes and reforms instituted by the new leadership under Najib.
"We take the election result into account to identify the areas that need fast action and have the biggest impact," he said, expressing the hope that the victoryin Hulu Selangor would bring victory to the BN in the Sibu parliamentary by-election in Sarawak.
Polling for the Sibu seat which feel vacant following the death of incumbent Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew will be held on May 15.
The prime minister said various projects announced in Hulu Selangor recently were to resolve long-standing problems faced by the residents.
"We didn't buy votes but we solve people's problems. Those are genuine problems which have not been addressed for some time. They are really genuine.
"It's not that we went around saying 'look, we give you this, we give you that', no," he told reporters after opening the Malaysia Green Forum 2010 here.
Present were former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is Landskap Malaysia's advisor, and his wife, Tun Jeanne Abdullah, who is chairman of Landskap Malaysia.
Najib was asked to comment on the opposition's claim that the BN had spent RM167 million on projects to win votes in Hulu Selangor.
In Sunday's by-election, the BN's P. Kamalanathan beat PKR's Datuk Zaid Ibrahim with a 1,725-vote majority, polling 24,997 votes against Zaid's 23,272 votes.
The BN chairman said projects such as the newly-built elevated interchange near Sungai Buaya were meant to solve the problems of the people of that constituency.
"It was on the basis that people wanted these projects, just like the interchange (near Sungai Buaya). The interchange was done by PLUS (Plus Expressways Bhd). It's not public money.
"It's PLUS and the interchange will help people in that area because it can cut down the travelling time by 60 to 90 minutes. So we are adressing the genuine needs of the people. We are not buying votes," he said.
Najib said of the opposition: "They should also ask themselves what they have done with the state government's resources. Haven't they been approving all kind of things for the people during elections?
"They have been doing that. So don't point the finger at the Barisan Nasional. Please look at themselves," he said.
Najib also expressed satisfaction that the BN was able to capture a seat in a state which was considered a handicap for the party.
"I am happy with the result because it shows that the trend is definitely moving towards the Barisan Nasional. It is a good victory because we were fighting a battle in a state controlled by the opposition," he said.
"We were handicapped in that sense. However the victory is a good victory because we can build on this victory and it has given the Barisan Nasional a lot of new spirit and hope for the future.
"It has to be a sustainable victory and we will sustain our victory by understanding what needs to be done for the long haul. So it cannot just be a one-off victory but (we must) build on it and strengthen what needs to be done so that the Barisan Nasional becomes the party for the future as well," he said.
However, the prime minister believes that the ultimate test for the BN would be the next general election.
"The ultimate test will of course be the general election. So far from what I have heard, I am very encouraged that there is an underlying support among the public and we hope to show results and the people want to see the results.
"We are committed to ensuring that our execution and implementation will be showing the way in terms of delivering the results that the people would like us to do," he added.
In KUALA LUMPUR, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin gave an assurance that the BN would keep all the promises that it had made in the Hulu Selangor by-election, including in places that did not favour the coalition.
"Promises must be fully fulfilled. We don't look at the areas that we have won or lost. We feel that if we win, we should fulfil all the promises that we have announced," he told reporters after the presentation of the 2010 National Intellectual Property award.
He said part of the list had been received and would be discussed with Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Noh Omar as minsiter responsible to the prime minister to ensure that all the projects announced were implemented in the shortest possible time.
He also said that the BN would conduct a detailed study to determine the voter trend in all aspects in the area according to race and where the vote increase and decrease were obvious.
He said the findings of the analysis would be used by the BN to craft strategies not just to win elections but also to gauge the receptiveness of Malaysians to the changes and reforms instituted by the new leadership under Najib.
"We take the election result into account to identify the areas that need fast action and have the biggest impact," he said, expressing the hope that the victoryin Hulu Selangor would bring victory to the BN in the Sibu parliamentary by-election in Sarawak.
Polling for the Sibu seat which feel vacant following the death of incumbent Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew will be held on May 15.
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