Don't Risk Country's Future By Voting In Opposition - Najib

LABIS, Jan 18 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Tuesday advised the people not to risk the country's future through experimentation by giving their votes to the opposition, but to continue supporting Barisan Nasional (BN) in order to safeguard their future.

The prime minister who is also BN chairman, said BN upheld the concept of close cooperation among the component parties which shared the same ideology of propelling the nation's success to a higher level.

"We in BN have the same ideology and that is why we've made the country successful and we wish to bring it to the next level of success.

"It's not just for today but in future too. In 10 years' time, we will achieve our dream of making Malaysia a developed nation," he said when officiating at the opening of the replacement building for the Labis National-Type Primary School and gathering with Chinese associations and non-governmental organisations, here Tuesday.

Najib said the opposition pact comprising PKR, DAP and PAS could only "share a pillow but have different dreams and ambitions", showing their lack of understanding of each other.

"PAS aspires to establish a PAS-style Islamic state but the DAP says, 'over my dead body'. They are only pretending to be friends in order to defeat BN.

"But try to imagine the two parties having different objectives, with DAP wanting a DAP-style secular state; it's definitely not workable. In reality, they are just acting out a political 'sandiwara'.

"They are trying to fool the people. Their cooperation is fragile. Theirs is actually not a workable relationship," he said.

Najib said if the people chose to vote in the opposition, the country's future would be scuppered and it would not be easy for the people to get back what had been built up with much effort all these years.

He also questioned Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's intention of forming a shadow cabinet as until today, what had been harped by the former deputy prime minister was merely rhetoric.

Najib also urged the Chinese community to give their support to the BN candidate to be announced for the upcoming Tenang state seat by-election.

He said their support would up the development momentum and indicate to prospective investors and Malaysia had strong political stability, which was important for economic growth.

The by-election has been called following the death of the incumbent assemblyman Datuk Sulaiman Taha, 59, from BN, on last Dec 17 due to complications from diabetes.

Nomination of candidates for the by-election is on Jan 22 and polling on Jan 30.

Normala Sudirman, 38, who is Labis PAS women's wing head has been named the party's candidate for the by-election, while the BN candidate is scheduled to be announced by Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin Wednesday.