GOODIES or no, the people of Langkawi want to return the island to its rightful guardian – Dr Mahathir Mohamad. 

On Friday, caretaker prime minister Najib Razak arrived in Langkawi brandishing an array of incentives for the people. 

He pledged RM100 million to help locals in the tourism industry to build shops, motels and chalets on Cenang beach. 

He said he was looking at turning the island into a sports hub, which would have, among others, a motocross (cross-country motorcycle racing) circuit.

These goodies, however, did not steal support for Dr Mahathir - the Pakatan Harapan Langkawi candidate.

Trader Haniff Mokhtar, 30, said it was time to give Langkawi back to Dr Mahathir.   

“We want to return Langkawi to Dr Mahathir because he has done more for the island than Najib. 

“Under Najib, the people have been hit by hardship, with rising cost of living.

“Langkawi has always been his (Dr Mahathir) island because he developed it and elevated its status internationally,” Haniff said.

Despite his busy schedule traversing the country in the election campaign, Dr Mahathir who is PH chairman, has made it a priority to engage with the people in Langkawi. 

The 92-year-old is expected to return to the island tomorrow and will stay until polling day on May 9.

Car rental operator Abdullah Din, 25, who got married last month, is reeling from the high cost of living in Langkawi. 

“I heard about the goodies being given out but I didn’t get anything.

“My concern is that I would like to have four children but in the current state I don’t think we can afford it. I’d rather have one child or two.

“Everything is expensive, even milk,” he said. 

Abdullah said it was also not cheap for the family to eat out these days, Previously, four people could have a good meal for RM40 but these days, the price had doubled because of the goods and services tax (GST). 

He said the majority of islanders preferred Dr Mahathir to Najib. 

“If he (Dr Mahathir) wins here, and if he is not around all the time, we don’t mind. Because we understand that he has to take care of the country. 

“All we want from him are more jobs for the youth, to abolish GST and elevate our tourism industry,” he said. 

Receptionist Athirah Azahar, 23 said she, too, preferred Dr Mahathir despite Najib’s plans to develop the island. 

“Dr Mahathir’s influence here is strong and the people like him. 

“We are not sure about Najib because Dr Mahathir is the only one that can take Langawki to great heights, like he did before. 

“His thinking and the way he speaks is much superior to any other person I have met,” she said. – May 6, 2018.