DAP has slammed Prime Minister Najib Razak’s election promises in Penang today as a federal obligation paid for through the state’s contributions to the national coffers.

As such, these promises “is an utter contempt of the wisdom of Penang voters”, said DAP Bukit Bendera parliamentarian Liew Chin Tong in a statement today.

NONE “The prime minister is announcing federal projects funded by federal resources, which should be implemented immediately regardless of who runs the state government.

The people of Penang contribute at least RM 3 billion annually through direct tax; only around RM100 million is returned to the state government in the form of fixed grants,” said Liew ( right ).

Najib during his visit to Universiti Sains Malaysia today made what appears to be an election pitch by repeating BN’s usual claim that the Pakatan Penang government “had failed to resolve the housing woes of the people in the state and had not built affordable homes and low-cost houses”.

Calling Najib’s promises during the PM’s visit to the state today “election blackmail”, Liew reminded the PM that housing was under the purview of the federal government, not the state.

Monorail ‘recycled promise’

Meanwhile commenting on Najib’s promise of a monorail Liew said it was a “recycled promise” that former Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi promised Penang in 2006.

“Also, Najib announced in the 10th Malaysia Plan in June 2010 that 200 new buses will be added to Rapid Penang's fleet.

“As of today the promise has not been fulfilled. There is an allegation that some of the allocated buses had been ‘hijacked’ to Kuantan,” said Liew.

He said Penang BN should stop using federally funded projects to “blackmail” the Penang voters, and try fighting the election on its own capabilities instead.

“It is time Penang Barisan Nasional to stand on its own feet to compete with the Penang Pakatan Rakyat on state policies’ and end this farce of using the financial prowess of the Federal Government to blackmail the Penang voters.”