Don't bite hand that feeds you, Dr M tells settlers
Former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today called on Felda settlers to be grateful for the benefits they have gained from the Felda programmes by voting for the BN in the coming general election.
Former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today called on Felda settlers to be grateful for the benefits they have gained from the Felda programmes by voting for the BN in the coming general election.
"Do not be influenced by emotions played up by certain parties that will destroy us. They have never helped you before.
"Instead, they say, do not be grateful for what we get, including the RM500 BR1M. Take, and then bite their hands. Is this the right kind of teaching?" Mahathir ( left ) asked the gathering.
In contrast, he said the present government had improved the lives of Felda settlers by leaps and bounds - or else these people would have remained unemployed.
Helping one another was part of Malay culture and it should be upheld, Mahathir said.
"We help them, but they bite our hands. If our society does not help one another, it will be plagued by insecurity and instability.
"In Malaysia we like to help one another. People help us, we help them. If people contest, we give them our votes.
"Why do we give our votes? To help them. Or else we would have remained unemployed," Mahathir added.
To drive his point home, Mahathir used the analogy of someone who rescued a drowning person, but who ends up getting slapped in spite of their efforts.
"The comfort today is due to hard work as well as the government's help, can't people be a little grateful and appreciative?" he said.
'Don't fret over FGV'
He also defended the listing of Felda Global Ventures Holdings (FGV) which has angered certain segments of the Felda community for failing to meet their expectations due to falling share prices.
"No doubt Felda Global will make mistakes, but do not criticise them when they lose money for the first time. It could be that they lose money for once, but they can profit in the future," he said.
Mahathir also mocked PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat for his deteriorating health, describing him as a man who takes medication at night and speaks incoherently in the morning.
He took a jab at the revered PAS leader at previously critcising the celebration of Prophet Muhammad's birthday.
"Nik Aziz (
left in photo
) asked why do we celebrate Prophet Muhammad's birthday because he only became a prophet at age 40.
"But Nik Aziz too, did not become PAS' mursyidul am when he was born. Why is it that Karpal bought him a cake to celebrate Nik Aziz's birthday?" he queried.
The gathering today appeared to be geared towards bolstering BN's support among Felda settlers, while at the same time, arresting the aggressive campaigning by PAS in the area.
It's not campaigning... well, maybe a bit
PAS-linked NGO Felda Settler's Children (Anak) has capitalised on discontent over the listing of FGV, and is bolstered after its share prices dipped below the initial public offering price.
In Mahathir's prepared speech that has been circulated to the media, it touched on several parliamentary and state seats within Felda areas which fell under PAS' influence and asked the crowd if people wanted a repeat of this.
However, the speech was not used as Mahathir opted for an impromptu one instead.
"I'm not campaigning, I'm just campaigning a little," he quipped.
Other leaders present were less subtle in their approach, with Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Ahmad Maslan who later took the stage and asked, "Can you support Najib? Can you support Felda? Can you support BN?", to which to crowd echoed "Yes!".
He then led the crowd to chant, "One Felda, Support Najib, Vote BN" three times.
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