GEORGE TOWN: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday said he was aware of his responsibilities and had been working hard for the country’s continued growth and prosperity.
“You can say I am not good enough. You can say whatever but don’t say that I don’t work.
“Iwork very hard. I mean it and you know it,” he said to loud applause from guests at the Penang Chinese Town Hall here for a Chinese New Year open house.
In his speech, Abdullah said as a Muslim he had an obligation to fulfill his duty and would carry it out diligently.
“It is the will of God that I have become the prime minister and it is my responsibility to work and serve the people.
“I have not benefited one sen from anyone for what I have done.
Some people want to give me money but I don’t need it. The government takes good care of its prime minister.” Abdullah stressed that in fulfilling his responsibilities, he had to be fair to all races and called on everyone to work together to create a prosperous country.
“As Malaysians, we must always feel we are among friends even though we are from the minority group when a function is organised.
If we can have mutual respect among us, thenwe will be all right,”he said.
Touching on the renewal and change that had been initiated, Abdullah said while it was not easy to change mindsets, much had been done especially in the public delivery system.
“I want to see the momentum increasing andwe will continue to ensure this,”he said in response to Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon’s speech earlier. Koh had spoken on the reforms under Abdullah’s leadership, especially in the government’s delivery system.
Speaking at another open house later, organised by Gerakan and the MCA at the Penang International Sports Arena, Abdullah said the government was committed to seeing its development projects through.
He said the government was not making empty promises when it announced development plans.
“I must apologise that there have been delays due to some problems but we are determined to complete all the projects.
“The second finance minister (Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop) has assured me that the projects will be completed,” he said, citing the second Penang bridge, Penang Outer Ring Road and monorail projects as examples.
Abdullah said the BN member parties had no choice but to work together as partners as the people wanted to see a united coalition which did not quarrel among themselves.
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wants leaders of Barisan Nasional component parties to listen to the problems of the people and overcome weaknesses so as to get popular support.
The prime minister said if responsive measures were taken, the people would continue to back the government and give their mandate to the coalition to continue to lead the country.
“Please listen to their woes and correct our mistakes. If we succeed in doing so, the people will support us,”he said at the Chinese New Year gathering organised by the Penang Gerakan and MCA here yesterday.
Abdullah, who is the BN chairman, said since the BN came to power, the coalition had succeeded in bringing change and progress to the country.
“We are not a government that has failed. We are also not a party that has failed. We have succeeded in bringing development to the country, which has a plural society that has various religions and cultures. ”
The prime minister conceded that in administering a multiracial country, the BN faced numerous problems.
“I don’t deny thatwe have problems.
“Yes, we have to face challenges but we can overcome them,” he said.
Abdullah told the BN component parties to continue to co-operate in resolving problems based on its power-sharing formula.
“The most important thing that the people desire is to see that solidarity and the spirit of close cooperation between the various races are maintained if the BN government remains in power.
“It doesn’t matter whether it is the MIC, People’s Progressive Party or the other component parties.
All must co-operate for the success of the BN for we could also fail if we make no effort to correct our weaknesses.” He said after 50 years of independence, it was not the time to concede defeat and stop developing the country.
On the contrary, the government was committed to adding value to what had already been achieved for the success of the next 50 years.
Also at the function were Penang Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas and wife Toh Puan Majimor Shariff, Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, Transport Minister and MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy and Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop. —Bernama
“You can say I am not good enough. You can say whatever but don’t say that I don’t work.
“Iwork very hard. I mean it and you know it,” he said to loud applause from guests at the Penang Chinese Town Hall here for a Chinese New Year open house.
In his speech, Abdullah said as a Muslim he had an obligation to fulfill his duty and would carry it out diligently.
“It is the will of God that I have become the prime minister and it is my responsibility to work and serve the people.
“I have not benefited one sen from anyone for what I have done.
Some people want to give me money but I don’t need it. The government takes good care of its prime minister.” Abdullah stressed that in fulfilling his responsibilities, he had to be fair to all races and called on everyone to work together to create a prosperous country.
“As Malaysians, we must always feel we are among friends even though we are from the minority group when a function is organised.
If we can have mutual respect among us, thenwe will be all right,”he said.
Touching on the renewal and change that had been initiated, Abdullah said while it was not easy to change mindsets, much had been done especially in the public delivery system.
“I want to see the momentum increasing andwe will continue to ensure this,”he said in response to Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon’s speech earlier. Koh had spoken on the reforms under Abdullah’s leadership, especially in the government’s delivery system.
Speaking at another open house later, organised by Gerakan and the MCA at the Penang International Sports Arena, Abdullah said the government was committed to seeing its development projects through.
He said the government was not making empty promises when it announced development plans.
“I must apologise that there have been delays due to some problems but we are determined to complete all the projects.
“The second finance minister (Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop) has assured me that the projects will be completed,” he said, citing the second Penang bridge, Penang Outer Ring Road and monorail projects as examples.
Abdullah said the BN member parties had no choice but to work together as partners as the people wanted to see a united coalition which did not quarrel among themselves.
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wants leaders of Barisan Nasional component parties to listen to the problems of the people and overcome weaknesses so as to get popular support.
The prime minister said if responsive measures were taken, the people would continue to back the government and give their mandate to the coalition to continue to lead the country.
“Please listen to their woes and correct our mistakes. If we succeed in doing so, the people will support us,”he said at the Chinese New Year gathering organised by the Penang Gerakan and MCA here yesterday.
Abdullah, who is the BN chairman, said since the BN came to power, the coalition had succeeded in bringing change and progress to the country.
“We are not a government that has failed. We are also not a party that has failed. We have succeeded in bringing development to the country, which has a plural society that has various religions and cultures. ”
The prime minister conceded that in administering a multiracial country, the BN faced numerous problems.
“I don’t deny thatwe have problems.
“Yes, we have to face challenges but we can overcome them,” he said.
Abdullah told the BN component parties to continue to co-operate in resolving problems based on its power-sharing formula.
“The most important thing that the people desire is to see that solidarity and the spirit of close cooperation between the various races are maintained if the BN government remains in power.
“It doesn’t matter whether it is the MIC, People’s Progressive Party or the other component parties.
All must co-operate for the success of the BN for we could also fail if we make no effort to correct our weaknesses.” He said after 50 years of independence, it was not the time to concede defeat and stop developing the country.
On the contrary, the government was committed to adding value to what had already been achieved for the success of the next 50 years.
Also at the function were Penang Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas and wife Toh Puan Majimor Shariff, Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, Transport Minister and MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy and Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop. —Bernama
