SARAWAK CHIEF MINISTER TO FORM STRONG LEADERSHIP TO PRESERVE INVESTORS' CONFIDENCE

KUCHING (Sarawak, Malaysia), April 17 (Bernama) -- Sarawak state Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud said Saturday night that he would use the opportunity available until the mid-term before he retires to form a new leadership line-up that is strong so that investors will continue to have confidence in the east Malaysian state of Sarawak.

Thanking the people of Sarawak for continuing to support ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (National Front - BN), he said the party's victory in the election Saturday proved that the people were not influenced by the negative political culture that the opposition pact tried to bring from outside.

He said the people of Sarawak could not accept the political style that attempted to create suspicion, fear and incite racial sentiments between the various races.

"I will come up with a white paper so that this culture will not enter Sarawak and if it had come in, we will ensure that it will not continue. This does not benefit the people of Sarawak," he told reporters at his official residence, here.

He said the opposition had said all kinds of things to win the election but the people of Sarawak still trusted the BN.

"This is all propaganda...(Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim's propaganda.
Previously, he claimed the 2008 election tsunami...but he (the opposition) did not win. In Sarawak, he said (he would) win and had appointed a chief minister," Taib said.

He said Prime Minister Najib Razak and his deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin had gone round the state to meet the people and listen to their problems, and this had given positive impact.

"The people saw that the federal government had given more attention to Sarawak. The PM (Prime Minister) also knew that Sarawak needs catching up policy to implement the rural NKRA (National Key Result Area) programme to provide water and eletricity supplies as well as roads," he said.

Taib said the election result Saturday was already expected based on the current situation but what was important was that the BN continued to form the government to develop Sarawak further.

In the 10th Sarawak state election, BN secured a two-thirds majority, winning 55 of the 71 seats.