PAKATAN Harapan chairman DR Mahathir Mohamad yesterday slammed the Kedah government for building luxury condominiums costing more than a million ringgit in Langkawi, bolstering expectations he will be contesting the seat in the next general election.

The opposition prime minister designate said the average fisherman, who made up the majority on the island, was unable to afford the luxury condominiums costing at least a million ringgit each.

“Who is going to live there? Are the fishermen, who make ‘pekasam’ (salted fish), going to want to live in such buildings?

“A unit costs more than a million ringgit. I don’t think Langkawi fishermen have yet to reach the stage where they can buy a home that costs that much,” he said in a speech that was broadcast live on the Bersatu Facebook page.

Dr Mahathir likened the Kedah government’s act of selling land to foreign investors to build condominiums to “nursing the baby monkey in the jungle while the child at home dies of hunger”.

He said government policies were more concerned about the welfare of strangers than of the people of the state, who were now poor as a result of such policies.

“The situation in Langkawi does not cater to the people of Langkawi, but to foreigners, who have money, who will pay for skyscrapers so that Langkawi will be like Singapore.

“If dozens of skyscrapers are built to beautify Langkawi, and if by then, we’re still catching fish with our hands, we can hope to sell the fish for two, three ringgit a day, which will not be enough for us to eat,” said the leader, known for his sharp tongue and caustic wit.

He also criticised the state government for stopping the construction of Menara Langkawi, which was to have been built  in Kuah town in 2010.

Dr Mahathir has previously hinted that he will run for election in either Langkawi or his former seat, Kubang Pasu in Kedah.

Dr Mahathir was in Nyior Chabang yesterday to speak at the launch of a Bersatu branch.

About 2,000 people showed up to listen to the former prime minister and his colleagues in Bersatu and Pakatan Harapan, including Amanah president Mohamad Sabu.

Dr Mahathir, who is also the PH chairman, earlier in the day met the people of the idyllic island that had grown to become a global tourist attraction while he was in office.

His wife, Dr Siti Hasmah Ismail accompanied him during his visit to the village of Bukit Malut, which he told residents has been sidelined.

He said development had bypassed Bukit Malut, which had poor infrastructure and was still lacking basic facilities, such as adequate electricity and water supply.

“There is poor supply of water, electricity in Bukit Malut, which results in frequent fires. During the last fire, about three, four years ago, all the the state government did was set up tents (for the victims), until now they are living in the tents,” he said.

He urged the people to reject the Umno/Barisan Nasional leadership in the next elections.

It was time the people spoke up and broke away from the tradition of maintaining Langkawi as an Umno stronghold, he said.

“BN has been winning in Langkawi from the very start, since Tunku Abdul Rahman contested the seat in the first election.

“Langkawi people are loyal and obedient, but in return Umno wants to take away Langkawi’s duty-free status; Najib Razak supposedly wants to give RM5 million, but not even a sen has been received.

“It’s time the Langkawi people rejected Umno.”

Nazifuddin Najib, grandson of former prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein, has recently invited Dr Mahathir to return to Umno to honour the legacy of Razak, who had been a good friend to Dr Mahathir.
 
Nazifuddin had said that if Dr Mahathir were truly grateful to Razak, he would help Razak’s son, Najib to defend the prime ministership now as Razak had helped Dr Mahathir to defend the Umno presidency in 1987. 

Dr Mahathir yesterday did not comment on Nazifuddin’s call for his return to his old party, though it may be inferred from his speeches in Langkawi that he will not be heeding the call anytime soon. – January 21, 2018.