Rural development agenda in Sarawak will be intensified - Najib

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has given the assurance that the federal government will intensify rural development in Sarawak.

According to him, the Barisan Nasional's (BN) massive victory in Sarawak in the 13th General Election last month proved the people in the state wanted the government to continue its efforts on rural transformation.

"The rural development agenda in Sarawak will be further intensified so that areas that are still left behind can be developed.

"The Barisan Nasional government is a government that keeps its promises on rural development no matter whether the area is under the SPDP, PBB or PRS (BN component parties in Sarawak)," he said.

The Prime Minister said this at a Gawai (Harvest Festival) celebration at Rumah Panjang George, Nanga Nangsang, Pakan here today.

Also present were his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and Sarawak Social Development Minister and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom.

The Prime Minister said the BN was a party which always endeavoured to fulfill its promises to the people, not like the opposition which only wanted power.

"The opposition only knows how to promise because they want to go to Putrajaya to be in power to the extent they held a swearing in ceremony for the prime minister," he said.

Najib also expressed his appreciation to the continuous support of Sarawak's Dayak community to the BN in the 13th General Election (GE13).

"The support must be reciprocated. Believe me that we will not make any sweet promises which cannot be met to the Dayak community and Sarawak," he said.

Najib also said he was satisfied with the performance of the BN component parties which contested in the interiors of Sarawak such as the SPDP that won all four parliaments it contested.

With the mandate obtained from the people, Najib said the government would ensure the national transformation agenda to emerge as a developed nation by 2020 was achieved.

Also present was Julau Member of Parliament Datuk Joseph Salang, who was formerly Deputy Information, Communication and Culture Minister.