KOTA ISKANDAR: The opposition pact has been lambasted for not helping some 100 people in the Flat Lima Kedai area when the roofs of their houses were blown away in a freak storm last Friday.
The Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Kota Iskandar state constituency, Mohammad Khairy A. Malik, said the opposition did not show any interest in coming to the people’s aid.
Instead, he said BN had stepped in to help by providing cash for temporary repairs on the damaged roofs, pending a full allocation.
“Today through the Iskandar Puteri City Council Penyayang Foundation, each of the 107 affected families will receive RM300 to ease their suffering,” he said.
DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang is the Iskandar Puteri member of parliament.
Khairy slammed the opposition over claims that he had abused his authority as the foundation’s chairman to distribute money to the victims to win votes.
“I need to remind everybody that I have relinquished my position as the foudation chairman and so has Datuk Jason Teoh Sew Hock who was a board member when we decided to contest the Kota Iskandar and Iskandar Puteri seats respectively,” he said, adding that the foundation had always helped disaster victims and did not do so only during the election period.
“Even at a time when there is an opportunity for the opposition to help victims they are nowhere to be found.
Nurul Mafuzza Abd Majid, 36, praised BN for coming to her family’s aid so speedily.
“I live with my 70-year-old father. It can get cold as the roof is still being repaired. Luckily, the Jason Team came to our rescue.”
The Jason Team consists of Teoh, Khairy and BN candidate for the Skudai state seat Datuk S. Kanan G. Suppiah. They are also known as the “Trio homeboys of Gelang Patah”.
Teoh said he had approached the private sector for help and added that two entrepreneurs were providing construction materials to repair the roofs.
“We in BN are committed to our work but where is the opposition when the people need them? he asked.
