INTERVIEW Newly appointed Housing, Urban Wellbeing and Local Government minister Noh Omar has said that he would be using his position to help BN's campaign in urban seats for the next 14th general election.

Noh said he understands Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's desire for BN to focus on urban voters in seats which it had lost in GE13 to the then Pakatan Rakyat federal opposition pact.

"Specifically in Selangor, we have very strong support in the rural seats.

"Our weaknesses are in the urban seats," said the Umno Selangor state liaison chief in an interview with Malaysiakini.

As a federal minister, Noh noted that his responsibility now has expanded beyond the state.

"Except in Johor Bahru and Kangar, BN lost in practically all urban parliamentary seats.

"This shows that I must find ways on how to regain support from urban voters for BN," said Noh who is also Tanjung Karang MP.

Based on his past experience as agriculture minister, Noh said there was a disparity in terms of government assistance for rural and urban voters.

These include subsidies for farmers and fishermen as well as various allowances, despite urban dwellers also facing challenges linked to the rising cost of living.

In his new portfolio, Noh as such said he would be looking at ways to improve or translate existing policies into actions that could tackle problems faced by the urban poor.

For example, Noh said he plans to look at elevators in urban high-rise buildings as being the equivalent of roads in rural areas.

"We have the budget for rural areas. Rural roads, roads in plantations, and even small alleys.

"If we can provide road access to rural voters, then why not we provide elevators in urban areas?" he said.

Noh, who likened the elevators to roads that connected villagers, said he had recently visited a 16-storey flat with only two elevators and both were out of order.

"I also look at our policy. Any house lower than five-storeys would not have any elevators.

"We forgot that the older residents may not be able to climb up and down the stairs," he added.

'Not scared to appoint Opposition leader'

At state level, Noh also denied that Selangor Umno is afraid to appoint a new state opposition leader to replace Sungai Burung assemblyperson Shamsudin Lias, who resigned in December 2014.

"We are not afraid," said Noh who claimed that the opposition leader's position is not mentioned in the state assembly standing orders.

"I see that the state government does not understand the very laws it wants to reform," he further claimed.

Shamsudin had stepped down after repeatedly rejecting the state public accounts committee chairperson post, an offer made as part of reform initiatives introduced by the Selangor state assembly.

Noh, however, claimed the state government was insincere in making the offer as it had turned down BN's request for increased representation from the current two out of seven members.

"Imagine what would happen if BN becomes chairman of the PAC? What would be his functions? He would be treated like a stump.

"If the state government is truly acting like a gentleman, give us four members. We have four and they have three," said Noh, adding that the three members could represent PKR, DAP and PAS.

He also reassured that BN could carry out its functions as the state opposition without the need to appoint an official leader.

The opposition bench in the 56-seat Selangor state assembly now comprises 12 Umno elected representatives and two Independents.

Yesterday: 'Umno would suspend Guan Eng if he was party member'