Najib urges reforms within Barisan to meet expectations of the people

By MUGUNTAN VANAR, The Star

KOTA KINABALU: Barisan Nasional has to change to meet the aspirations of the people or be prepared for the people to change the coalition, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

The March general election showed that the coalition must make reforms and implement policies to meet the expectations of the people, he said.

“It is a clear message that Barisan needs to be proactive to meet the people’s needs and reforms are already taking place as announced by the Prime Minister,” Najib told a Sabah Barisan Hari Raya gathering last night.

“We will continue to be sensitive and open to the needs of the people,” he said, adding that Barisan was still relevant and could deliver the change the people expected.

“If we don’t have the courage to change then people will change us,” he said.

Najib said that among steps needed to be taken were to ensure that the country’s wealth was distributed fairly to all regions and people and to plant seeds of a value system whereby all communities irrespective of religion would work together.

Taking Sabah as an example, he said that despite its multi-ethnic and multi-religious society, the people were relaxed and open to each other’s cultures.

“I feel that we will not have a problem and the proposed Race Relations Act is not necessary. What is needed is a value system and not a legal system,” he said.