Workers in the industrial sector must consider job security before casting their ballots, said Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in Pekan, Pahang today.

Addressing some 4,000 DRB-Hicom workers, he urged them to vote for the party that could provide ample employment opportunities for the people.

He added that in a world which was becoming intensely competitive, concern over the security of employment should be given due consideration by the people.

The deputy premier said by voting Barisan Nasional (BN) would give a clear signal to foreign investors that Malaysia would have continued political stability.

Najib will be defending the Pekan parliamentary constituency against PAS candidate Brig Jen (R) Zakaria Dahlan. In the last polls, Najib beat PAS' Ramli Mohamed by a mere 241 votes.

Meanwhile DRB-Hicom group chairperson Mohd Saleh Sulong reminded his employees to vote wisely and not take the risk of giving their vote to a party that would be unable to form a credible government.

"We can't take the risk of experimenting with an untested party. We have to ensure the continuation of what has already been recognized as good for us, for our children and our grandchildren... in the context of this country moving forward, duly managed and administered by leaders who are credible, capable and reliable," he was quoted as saying in a Bernama report.

False claims

In another development, Umno secretary-general Khalil Yaakob today dismissed claims that a former state assemblyperson from the party was helping the opposition.

He said he did not receive any report over this matter and the former state assemblyman was working with the party's election machinery to ensure victory for BN.

"These claims are made up by the opposition as they have no issues to harp on in their campaign rounds," he said, according to another Bernama report.

Khalil said the allocation of the Kuantan parliamentary seat to MCA had initially created slight discontent among Umno supporters but this had been overcome.

On reports that several Umno operations rooms in Kuantan parliamentary constituency were closed as a sign of protest over the move, he said these claims were baseless.

"I have inspected all of the operations rooms and found them operating as usual," he added

MCA's Fu Ah Kiow is the BN candidate for Kuantan. In the previous polls Khalil had contested the seat, defeating Parti Keadilan Rakyat Wanita chief Fuziah Salleh by 7,361 votes. Khalil polled 28,497 votes while Fuziah, again a candidate for the polls, garnered 21,136 votes.