Najib contributes a lot to Siamese community, minority groups - Senator Boon Som

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has contributed a lot to the Siamese community and other minority groups in the country, Senator Datuk Boon Som Inong said.

Boon Som, who represents the Siamese Community in the Dewan Negara said, it had been proven and was truly undeniable that Najib was always committed in his efforts to safeguard and promote the welfare of the community.

"As the Siamese community's representative, I suppose we have to be fair to the prime minister. As a normal person, he might have made mistakes and has his own weaknesses.

"But it should not make us forget all the good deeds he has done as a leader of the country," he said in a statement here Thursday.

Boon Som also asked the Siamese and minority communities in the country not to be influenced by the negative attitude of certain Malaysians who tried to portray bad images of the Prime Minister.

He also expressed regret over the attitude of some Malaysians who seemed to really hate the Prime Minister as if he had done nothing for the country.

Boon Som said, Najib's biggest contribution towards the Siamese community was his commitment in getting the government's recognition of the community as Bumiputeras.

The recognition, he said, had opened up more opportunities for more qualified Siamese students to further their studies at matriculation colleges, public universities as well as Teacher Education Institutes.

The students, including those studying abroad, could also enjoy the educational loan facilities from Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), he added.

Boon Som said representatives of other minority communities, such as Orang Asli, Punjabis, Portuguese, as well as ethnic groups in Sabah and Sarawak, had also acknowledged the prime minister's contributions for them.

He also cited a Chinese proverb saying "when drinking the water of a well, one should never forget who dig it", which means one should always be grateful to leaders of those who helped him succeed.