PM comes to the aid of PKNS tenants

Sunday, 15 January 2012 10:52

SHAH ALAM: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has expressed shock over the rental hike facing tenants at the Selangor State Development Cor-poration (PKNS) complex here.

The Prime Minister said it was unfair for PKNS to raise rental rates, especially since business there was lukewarm.

“I spoke to a few people here and they looked very sad. Their businesses are not doing well but they have to pay more rent,” he said.

Saying that he could not bear to see the tenants suffer, Najib pledged to raise the matter with tourism officials to help transform the complex into a major attraction in the state.

PKNS tenants’ chairman Arman Yahya, in his speech earlier, appealed to the Federal Go­­vern-ment to take over administration of the complex.

To this, the Prime Minister re-marked: “It would be so much easier for us to just take over the state.

“I am eating sweet potatoes now to remind me of the Japanese era during World War II.

“I hope next time I will be eating nasi minyak as a sign that business has improved.”

According to PKNS, the tenants were notified in September about the hike in rent from Jan 1.

Najib later visited residents at the Taman Rimba Jaya flats, where he promised allocations to build a surau and a Hindu temple.

Earlier in the day, Najib attended a closed-door meeting with Barisan Nasional grassroots at Intekma Resort.

Selangor Umno deputy liaison chief Datuk Seri Noh Omar and Selangor MCA chief Datuk Donald Lim accompanied Najib on both visits.

Later in TAIPING, Najib voiced hope that the people would give Barisan another five-year mandate to govern the country so that it can implement more development programmes.

He said it had been proven that the Barisan government had managed to draw up many programmes that benefitted the people.

“I believed that if we are given another five years, we will be able to do a lot more,” he said at the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club retreat last night.

Najib said he was prepared to work tirelessly for Malaysians.

“That is my commitment to the people. I have told my wife that the nights are now shorter than the days as I need to work hard for the people,” he said.

From The Star