SELANGOR Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali today dismissed allegations that the state had not provided free education, saying they are currently assisting students in six universities in Selangor.

“We have to understand that education is the responsibility of the federal government.

“Putrajaya has to ensure that they manage the education funds well in order to provide free and quality education for the masses, but this has not been done,” he said after attending the Kelantan Bersatu food fair in Taman Seri Gombak.

Najib said on Tuesday that Barisan Nasional will be a better government than the PKR-led government in Selangor.

The Umno president had also urged its members to work hard to wrest back the country’s richest state.

Najib said the Pakatan-led government had reneged on its election promises, such as giving free education, adding that there is no free education at Universiti Selangor.

Azmin said Selangor took the initiative to assist not only Universiti Selangor and University Islam Selangor but four other universities in the state.

“We have extended the scholarship programme for the students and ensured that the fees charged are reasonable. We have also provided education aid for those who can’t afford it,” he said.

On a separate matter, Azmin explained that he visited PAS president Hadi Awang together with PKR leaders yesterday to wish him a speedy recovery after his surgery.

“We were told not to disturb Hadi for two months and so our visit was to pray for him that he will recover quickly from his surgery,” he said.

Hadi last night posted on Facebook a picture of his meeting with PKR leaders not long after receiving praise from Najib for practising “mature politics”.

In the photo with Hadi were PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Azmin and vice-president Dr Shaharuddin Badaruddin.

Meanwhile, close to 2,000 Bersatu members and guests attended the food fair at the Dewan Beringin hall to indulge in 68 dishes from Kelantan.

The highlight of the event was Dr Mahathir Mohamed taking part in a cooking demonstration.

The Bersatu chairman cooked a venison dish, which was later auctioned to the highest bidder for RM1,000. – August 13, 2017.