Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has rubbished the achievements often claimed by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng since he took office in 2008.

NONE Muhyiddin ( right ) asked Lim to say exactly what he has done to reduce the cost of living for Penangites.

The DPM did not take too kindly to how Barisan Nasional has been labelled as ‘Barang Naik’.

“'Ask him what he has done to reduce the cost of living for the people?” Muhyiddin asked at the 1Malaysia lunch in Bayan Baru today, his second stop since he arrived in Penang at 9am.

“The CM has done nothing! Nothing! We have done a lot more!” he added, to cheers from thousands of supporters who tuned out for the event despite today being a working day.

Muhyiddin said the criticism of ‘Barang Naik’ was unfair as the BN federal government has done a lot for the people. For example, in Penang alone, about 300,000 people have received their BR1M payment, he said.

He then took an hour to explain in detail how Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has gone down to the ground to ask the people what they needed to make their lives better.

Muhyiddin took his time to talk about what the federal government has done for Malaysians - the various topics included safety and security, crime rate, the battle against corruption, education, traffic woes and the rising cost of living.

Muhyiddin also took a swipe at Kelantan, asking detractors to ask Menteri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat what he has done for the state despite leading it for several decades.

“Ninety-two percent of Kelantanese households received the BR1M. That is the highest for the country. I am sorry, but there are a lot of poor people there,” he added.

Muhyiddin said the time where the government claims to know all - like Guan Eng does in Penang - is over.

“This time around, the people know more than the government. We should respect them. The best option is still BN, not Pakatan.”

He added that Guan Eng should give some credit to the BN federal government which has done much to ensure that investors continued to choose Penang as their investment destination.

Vow to recapture Bayan Baru and three state seats

Muhyiddin also vowed to recapture the Bayan Baru parliamentary seat and the three state seats in the constituency - Batu Maung, Pantai Jerejak and Batu Uban.

He said while he was on his way into the venue in Bayan Baru, many shook his hand and asked the government to speed up the general election.

“The people told me they cannot stand being under the Pakatan government any more. So when the election comes, please don’t look elsewhere but straight ahead at BN,” he said.

He said that Bayan Baru and the three state seats under PKR were “winnable seats and we can get them back. We will wipe Bayan Baru clean (bersih)!”

During his visit here, after meeting civil servants in USM, Muhyiddin dished out close to RM3 million in allocations to various groups like NGOs, volunteer corps, fishermen’s associations and for building maintenance.

In mainland Penang earlier, Muhyiddin said that following the amendment to the Uinversities and University Colleges Act 1971, students have a wider opportunity to get involved in political activities.

He added that the amendment showed the government’s openness and contribution to the student  movement.

However, he cautioned that the students must exercise “responsibility and accountability” and think wisely before acting, although they are allowed to indulge in political events.

“They should do things that benefit them and the nation. They should not destroy themselves or the country. They should comply with the existing laws,” said the education minister when launching the 1Malaysia carnival at the Seberang Jaya Politeknik.

“I am confident that our students are matured and have strong backgrounds. They are aware of what the government has done for society, including providing them with  opportunities for education,” he added.

“We hope they will continue to increase their knowledge and experience for the sake of the country’s development,” he stressed.