KANGAR: Perlis assemblymen were reminded to practise “calm” politics to ensure the smooth implementation of development programmes for the good of the people.
Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail said such politics was necessary for the state government was always stable enough to implement effective development programmes.
He said the landscape of Malaysian politics now had seen Perlis become an opposition-held state as the federal government was now in the hands of Pakatan Harapan (PH), making the development agenda here something which would be challenging.
“It cannot be denied that we will face challenges in developing Perlis, especially since the state government relies much on the federal government in terms of allocations for operational and developmental expenditure.
“Therefore, the state government and each and every assemblyman need to have good working relationships with the federal government in order to make things easier. The needs of the people should be placed above politics, at all times,” he said during his royal address at the opening of the state assembly sitting.
Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin also reminded the assemblymen to wholeheartedly carry out their responsibilities as representatives of the people and the state.
He said all the assemblymen, regardless of political affiliation, should work with Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man in administering and developing the state so that the vision of making Perlis a city state by 2030 could be realised.
“We must admit that Perlis has been left behind in terms of development, compared to other states. We have moved too slowly, as if our role of developing the state was not a priority, nor the responsibility that we all should bear. We do not have anyone to blame for this but ourselves.”
Present at the opening were Raja Perempuan of Perlis Tuanku Tengku Fauziah Tengku Abdul Rashid; Raja Muda Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail; and, Raja Puan Muda Tuanku Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil.