Daud refutes claims Chinese sidelined by govt

by Saiful Bahari. Posted on December 6, 2010, Monday KUCHING: Accusations by certain groups that the Chinese community were sidelined by the government’s policies are baseless and without proof, said Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman.

BIGGER HALL: Daud, flanked by Lo (on his left) and Chai, cutting the ribbon to officiate at the new hall extension.

On the contrary, he stressed, the government practises an open policy and provides opportunities to everybody, including the Chinese.
“The government provides assistance for everybody, and not only to just a particular race or the Bumiputeras. The government practises an open policy and the opportunity is there for everyone,” said Daud.
The Tupong assemblyman pointed out this at  a ‘Programme Mesra Rakyat’ held at the Tupong SUPP Hall at Jalan Sungai Tengah yesterday.
Daud noted that many Chinese in the state are successful businessmen, and have a lot of stake in the economic cake.
Many Chinese are also involved in government projects, he asserted.
Pleased to see many successful Chinese businesses,  Daud reiterated that the economic opportunity in the state was huge and for everybody to share.
He regretted that there were still people who threw such accusations, that the Chinese were  sidelined, against the government, resulting in some people turning to the opposition.
He further said that success was in the hands of everybody and it was up to each of them to grab the opportunity.
“Therefore, I call on you to visit the relevant government agencies to see what assistance or help they can give you. Trust me, there is a lot for you and everybody else,” he said.
Daud cited the opposition-led government in Penang, which hurled abuse towards the Barisan Nasional (BN) government, but at the end had to seek financial support from the federal government.
“The government is not discriminating against a particular race and there should be no misgivings towards each other. We want everyone to feel that they are in the ‘big train’ of Barisan Nasional towards national progress,” he stressed.
The programme yesterday also saw the symbolic opening ceremony of the extension section of the SUPP Hall costing RM60,000 which was built on a grant allocated by Daud and Petra Jaya MP Datuk Fadillah Yusof.
Apart from telematch and aerobic dance, booths were set up by community colleges, health departments, local business entreprenuers and government agencies.
Among those present  were Padawan Municipal Council chairman Lo Khere Chiang, Matang Penghulu Chai Khiun Khian and Kemas representative Mohd Azrul Aidi.