New houses for more than 1,800 fishermen

PROGRAMMES TO HELP PEOPLE: Najib has breakfast with villagers in walkabout

SUNGAI PETANI: SOME 1,800 fishermen in Tanjung Dawai, near here, who have yet to own a house will soon have a place to call their own.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who shared their concern for proper housing, announced this when he visited the hamlet for a walkabout yesterday morning.

He said the plan, already on the drawing board, would be carried out soon.

"I know many of you live on rented land and want to have a place to call your own.

"We have many programmes to help the people, including fishermen. However, since the general election is around the corner, we may only be able to build the houses later," he said after joining about 100 villagers for breakfast at Kedai Mahazir, a popular food stall.

The villagers served their VIP guest traditional breakfast delicacies, which included peknga (coconut pancake) and gedung chak (glutinous rice stuffed with brown sugar and coconut).

Najib, who spent about 30 minutes with the villagers, also visited the family of trader Fong Ah Mooi, 88, who died of old age on Monday.

The prime minister was later escorted by a flotilla of 200 fishing boats on a 15-minute boat ride to nearby Pantai Merdeka to open the state-level farmers, fishermen and breeders assembly.

Many of the 5,000 villagers who had joined the walkabout were full of praises for Najib for making time to visit them.

Fatimah Abdul Rahman, 74, said Najib lived up to his promise to endear himself to the people.

"He did not have to come so far to meet us, but he did. I wish I had the strength to meet him and say thank you for the help he has given to the people, especially the poor villagers."

Another happy villager, Moh Tong Sin, 70, said he was surprised when Najib joined the villagers for breakfast at the food stall.

"I was happy to find him seated a few tables away.

"Although I did not get to meet him personally, I could see that he mingled with the people who had thronged the stall. He seemed friendly and polite."

At the farmers, fishermen and breeders assembly, Najib paid tribute to farmers and fishermen for their selfless contributions to the nation.

Describing members of the agricultural community, including breeders, as heroes, Najib said they always had the government's interests at heart.

"To me, our farmers, fishermen and breeders are heroes," he said to thunderous applause from some 15,000 people.

Najib also approved an "irrigation highway" for 38,000ha of padi fields in the Pendang district.

The new irrigation canal would boost the rice yield for about 3,000 farmers.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak being warmly greeted by the people at the state-level farmers, fishermen and breeders assembly in Pantai Merdeka near Sungai Petani yesterday.

 

(Source: NST website)