Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Koh Tsu Koon has urged all quarters not to sensationalise the candidacy for the post of Penang chief minister until the prime minister has announced the date of the general election.

azlan Koh who is also Gerakan president, said the party had its own strategy of not announcing the names of suitable candidates yet in order to focus on programmes and on serving the people.

“Don’t heat up the election fever too much so that when the general election comes, we have not lost steam.

“We (Gerakan) know what to decide... it’s still early and what is more important now is to focus on serving the people,” Koh said in response to the recent call by Penang Umno Youth head Shaik Hussain Mydin for him to name the candidates for the chief minister post.

Koh was speaking to reporters at a state-level 1Malaysia Aidilfitri celebration organised by the Penang office of the National Unity and Integration Department and the south-west police district headquarters at the Bayan Baru police station last night.

   

“We will name the potential and suitable candidates when the coming general election draws nearer,” Koh said when pressed to state a suitable time to announce the candidates.

On another development, he said the setting up of the voluntary patrol scheme (VPS) through the Rukun Tetangga sectors was the right way under the law to tackle crime.

He urged all existing Rukun Tetangga sectors, members of the public and voluntary bodies interested to set up the VPS, to do it properly so that it will be effective in assisting the police combat crime.

He said the VPS was evidently relevant in Penang as the number had increased more than 100 percent, from 228 in 2004 to 2,698 this year statewide.

“This is a positive contribution to one of the National Key Result Areas (NKRAs), that is, reducing crime rates,” he added.

- Bernama

Related stories :

Over 200 foreigners to be dropped from draft roll

Don't hide from foreigners-made-voters charge, EC told

Home minister slams online media, again

Bersih wants technical glitches sorted out

Citizenship for votes: Who are the traitors?

PKR scratching head over choice of GE candidates