TELUK INTAN May 30. Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today the pledge by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to appoint Datuk Mah Siew Keong a minister if the Gerakan president wins the Teluk Intan parliamentary by-election tomorrow is no gimmick.
Muhyiddin, who is Barisan Nasional (BN) deputy chairman, said Mah's inclusion in the federal cabinet would bring spillover benefits for the constituents of Teluk Intan.
"It's not a lie. It will be easier for Mah to help the people here if he is in the cabinet. The state (Perak) government is held by the BN, the federal government is held by the BN. Why does Teluk Intan not want the BN?" he said after a breakfast meeting with representatives of 25 Indian non-governmental organisations here.
Najib, who is on a six-day official visit to China, said Mah would be offered the post of a minister in the federal cabinet if he wins the Teluk Intan by-election because it was customary for the president of Gerakan, a founding party of the BN, to be in the cabinet.
The prime minister, who is also the BN chairman, said the ministry that Mah would head would be determined later.
Muhyiddin also said that Mah was "a man of his word" who held on to his principles.
He also said that Mah's appointment as a minister would give the Chinese representation in the cabinet.
Mah, who had been the MP for Teluk Intan for two terms from 1999, is involved in a straight fight with Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud of the DAP in the by-election, polling for which is tomorrow.
In 2004, Mah was appointed deputy minister of international trade and industry. Two years later, he was moved to the agriculture and agro-based industry ministry. BERNAMA
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