Information Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim is confident that Felda settlers in Hulu Selangor will vote for the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate during the by-election, as a mark of gratitude to the late former prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein, who initiated the Felda scheme.

Rais said there is no reason for Felda settlers to reject the BN candidate because only a BN candidate can continue the development and struggles, especially for Felda settlers, championed by the BN-led government.

"The by-election will be a good ground for Felda settlers to translate their gratitude towards the late prime minister Abdul Razak by voting in the BN candidate chosen by his son Najib Abdul Razak.

"The people themselves can see and weigh the benefits reaped by them from the Felda scheme and they must translate their gratitude into votes for BN because this is part of our culture and we should not forget," he told reporters after opening Felda Gedangsa's 1Malaysia Family Carnival near Hulu Selangor last night.

The Hulu Selangor parliamentary constituency comprises a number of felda settlements, namely Sungai Tengi, Soeharto, Gedangsa, Sungai Tengi Selatan and Sungai Buaya.

"The opposition have done nothing for the development of Felda and they are just taking credit for what was done by others (BN). We should not be fooled by their sweet talk.

"Even the late Hulu Selangor member of parliament had not done anything for the development of Felda," he said.

He added that BN candidate P Kamalanathan has a very good chance of winning the Hulu Selangor seat because he has the 'recipe to be a future leader and needs ideas and guidance to lead the people'.

"I am confident he can overcome whatever mistakes in the past (Hulu Selangor) with his determination and commitment, as he is an approachable people's representative," he said.

Rais also urged Kamalanathan to adhere the calls made by the prime minister and fulfill all the promises made, if he won the seat.

"If Kamalanathan wins in Hulu Selangor, it will mean an endorsement for the 1Malaysia concept and show proof that the people have accepted it well," he said.

Rais said the opposition have also run out of ideas and capital, in the run up to the by-election as seen through the petty issues brought up by them, especially the gesture of Kamalanathan kissing the hand of Umno leaders.

"Even the gesture of kissing the hand is being deemed an issue. We have been taught of such respect by our elders, so showing respect by bowing down and kissing the hand is not an issue," he said.

Meanwhile, Rais said two thirds of the 2,189 voters in the Gedangsa Felda settlement attended the carnival.

- Bernama