The Penang Barisan Nasional (BN) will explain to the people in the state on the achievements and development brought by the previous state government after keeping silent to the opposition's criticism the past three years.    

"I've waited and given them (opposition) the chance (to criticise us) for three years. After this March, we will be more active and aggressive in convincing the people of Penang on what BN has done for them," said its chairperson Koh Tsu Koon after opening the Penang BN Youth and Wanita Work Camp, Georgetown, today.     

Koh said efforts would be made to regain public confidence and trust in the BN government's capability of bringing more development to the state.     

" Lim Chong Eu (former Penang chief minister) was once heavily criticised. Then it was me. If BN really did not do anything in Penang, the state would not have developed like now," he said.     

Koh, who is also Gerakan president, said when BN ruled Penang, there were development agendas that could not be completed.     

"We were also regarded by some people as being arrogant. After having learnt lessons from what happened in the last general general election, we were ready to change," he said.     

Earlier, in his speech, Koh urged all BN state, divisional and branch leaders to give their full commitment to winning back the people's hearts.     

"When we lost badly in Penang in the 2008 general election, we were angry but we did not blame the people but instead blamed ourselves for the defeat.     

"But this is not the time to point fingers at anyone for the loss but to double our efforts to correct our weaknesses," he said.   

‘Only the MIC can fight for the Indians’ 

Meanwhile Johor MIC executive secretary A Asojan said the future and welfare of Malaysia's Indians, including estate workers in the Tenang state constituency, can only be guaranteed by the MIC through Barisan Nasional (BN).     

Asojan, who is also MIC supreme council member, said no independent candidate could represent the Indian community like the MIC and BN.     

"Only the MIC and BN are able to fight for the Indians and improve their economy," he told Bernama here today.     

He was commenting on National Union of Plantation Workers (NUPW) official, G.Sivanandan, who offered himself as an independent candidate for the Tenang by-election on Jan 30.     

The by-election has been called following the death of its assemblyman, Sulaiman Taha, on Dec 17 due to complications from diabetes.     

Asojan said Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, had allocated RM50 million in the 2011 Budget for housing facilities for estate workers.

- Bernama