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Najib: Ex-PM can't do anything for Langkawi if he's just an MP

No individual, even the one who had held the office of prime minister, is capable of administering the country without the support from a strong party, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said tonight.

He said this was made clear for Malaysia as the country practices parliamentary democracy in which only the party that wins the most number of seats would have the power to form a government and decide the policies of the country.

“If our party is weak and unable to win (the majority of seats in general election), we will not be able to decide the direction and policies of the country,” he said at the meet-and-greet event in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebration with the Langkawi Chinese community at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre in Langkawi.

Without naming the individual, it was obvious that the prime minister was referring to former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamed and his intention to contest in the next general election, most likely for the Langkawi parliamentary seat.

“It will be very difficult even to approve an allocation for Langkawi if the individual is merely an MP representing a party which has no strength to form a government,” Najib said.

Najib said the people in Langkawi now had only two options in determining their future, namely to choose someone from a strong party that could decide on the country's policies or to elect the individual whose struggles were based only on history and sentiment.

“I believe that if we think rationally, we will have a better future if we choose BN candidates to represent us,” he said.

The prime minister said the deeds and contributions of former leaders in leading the efforts for the country's development had never been denied, but only the BN-led government could ensure that the development would continue to persist.

“Only BN can help us now and to develop Langkawi into a major tourist destination island in the future,” he said.

Najib also said that he had already drafted plans to take Langkawi to greater heights in tourism development since he took over the country’s leadership.

The prime minister said the Langkawi Tourism Blueprint 2.0, which is the master plan for the island’s tourism development for 2016-2020, had already been implemented in stages.

“For example, I have approved the allocation for the expansion of the Langkawi Airport and I have also sought to get more direct flights to Langkawi,” he said.

Apart from that, he said efforts to have more world-class hotels operating in Langkawi were also being pursued as a strategy to attract more well-heeled travellers to the island because this would also benefit the local population.

At the event, Najib also announced the government’s approval for the appointment of a representative from the Langkawi Chinese community to be a member of Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) Board of Directors.

Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid, who represented Kedah Menteri Besar Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah, Langkawi MP Nawawi Ahmad, Air Hangat assemblyperson Mohd Rawi Abdul Hamid, Kuah assemblyperson Norsaidi Nanyan and Langkawi Tionghua Traders Association advisor Chen Lai Ping, were also present at the event.

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