PENANG Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has appealed to the rural community to give the state a full mandate to carry out development plans so no districts, especially those in pockets of semi-rural localities are left behind in the quest to sustain growth.
Chow said that it is the vision of the state government to ensure that the spillover effects from economic growth is felt in all areas, including rural districts.
"We will also bring investments into the rural areas. There is no such thing as island and mainland mentality when it comes to growing the economy," said Chow.
"We are given the mandate to govern and the Pakatan Harapan - led national unity government will try our best to perform," said Chow.
If there is no mandate then, there is no opportunity to become the best government, especially for those residing in the semi-rural areas, said Chow.
The Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional combination has lost nine out of the 11 - state seats in semi- rural seats; out of the 40 - member state legislative assembly during the last state election in 2023.
Chow leads the national unity coalition with 29 seats while the Perikatan Nasional Opposition has 11 state seats in the legislative assembly.
He said this when presenting hampers and goodies to those marking Hari Raya Adil Fitri soon at the public gathering area in Jalan Satu, Kepala Batas.
Present was the Bertam assemblyman Datuk Seri Reeza Merican Naina Merican, who is also the the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) chairman
Meanwhile at a separate event, Deputy Chief Minister I Prof Datuk Dr Mohamad Abdul Hamid, said that a key pillar in helping the Muslims, who reside in semi - rural localities, is in advancing the socio-economic development of the community.
“A major focus of this agenda is economic empowerment, spearheaded by the Penang Islamic Religious Council (MAINPP) and its agencies.
“This initiative is not only aimed at improving the living standards of the Muslim community but also plays a crucial role in strengthening its economic position. “This is achieved through the expansion of the halal industry ecosystem and strategic collaborations with corporate entities and local businesses,” Mohamad said. - March 24, 2025.
