The extraordinary presence of the Kelantan people at programmes organised by Umno lately should be translated into votes for Barisan Nasional (BN) at the 14th general election, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.

He said the people’s mandate was crucial for BN to form a government and rule the state as the coalition was determined to develop Kelantan.

"The Kelantan people not only want development, but also the contents.

"True that there should be a balance between worldly needs and the hereafter, physically and spiritually, but efforts to develop the people are also important,” he said when speaking at the "Leader With The People" programme at the Kelantan Poverty Foundation Complex in Melor, Kota Baru, today.

The event drew a crowd of about 20,000 people and among those present were Umno information chief Annuar Musa, who is also Ketereh assemblyperson, Kelantan Umno liaison chairperson Mustapa Mohamed and his deputy, Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub.

Zahid said the BN federal government always gave priority to the well-being of the Kelantan people, although the state was under opposition rule.

"The federal government allocated RM12.7 billion under the 11th Malaysia Plan for Kelantan’s development,” he said.

He said the federal government also gave priority to the development of the various sectors in Kelantan, such as education, religion, security, and social-economy.

- Bernama