Muhyiddin: Windfall for school not linked to polls

SMK Kerdau received a windfall today in the form of "instant approval" from Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin for the expansion of its premises.

Muhyiddin pledged that the school's application to add to classrooms will be included in the 10th Malaysia Plan's second rolling plan.

"I am here to campaign (for BN candidate Syed Ibrahim Syed Ahmad), but I am approving this not because I am campaigning," he told some 300 parents and teachers during a visit to the school.

Muhyiddin, who is also education minister, agreed to a request from the parent-teacher association to relocate the school to a larger premises, provided a suitable plot of land could be found.

Addressing the crowd, who were representatives from PTAs of all 18 schools under the Kuala Krau parliamentary constituency, Muhyiddin said it was up to them to decide how they intended to share the RM1.9 million maintenance fund set aside by the Prime Minister’s Department.

“Coming here is quite expensive... but since the request has been made, I think we can accommodate it,” he said to the delight of the crowd.

Earlier, Pahang Education Department deputy director Yahya Abidin made the request in his speech, sparking murmurs among the gathering over his apparently brazen attempt to ask for financial aid.

“Bila lagi? (when else?),” he said to laughter from the crowd, referring to his plea which was made before Muhyiddin took to the rostrum.

‘Buku Jingga’ is unrealistic

In his speech later, Muhyiddin said the opposition’s much-touted Buku Jingga was “dangerous” as it is could potentially lead to the country’s ruin if the people believed in the Pakatan Rakyat propaganda.

He said the opposition had failed to solve the problems in Selangor and Penang after taking over the administration of both states in the March 2008 general election, proving that it was incapable of delivering on campaign promises.

“We discussed this in the cabinet, the Buku Jingga. The opposition claims it can solve the nation’s problems in 100 days, but I worry if people do not realise how far this is removed from the realities we face... the country will go bankrupt.”

Shifting gear into campaign mode, Muhyiddin said BN would go to all areas during the Kerdau by-election to debunk Pakatan’s claims made in the Orange Book, and make sure voters were not tricked into believing the opposition.