Two-year suspension warning
KUALA LUMPUR: Members of Barisan Nasional component parties who sabotage their parties expressly or implicitly will be suspended from their parties for two years, said BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.
The offenders would be suspended by their respective parties on the advice of the BN top leadership, he said, adding that the matter was decided at a meeting of the BN Special Committee on March 23.
Tengku Adnan’s warning comes as the country gears up for the 14th general election.
He also said that the special committee advised all component parties to remind their members to uphold the spirit of camaraderie, togetherness and mutual respect among party members.
“Barisan Nasional leaders and members are reminded to maintain the spirit of camaraderie and unity that has long been established in facing the 14th general election and in the future,” he said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said he would announce an increase in the special aid for paddy farmers once the BN claims victory on the night the results are declared for the 14th general election.
“This is in appreciation of the solid support of the paddy farmers for the government. It is up to you to make that wise decision. Work well, there will be additional gains,” he said when launching a national-level special aid for paddy farmers at the Sungai Korok Rural Growth Centre in Alor Biak in Jerlun yesterday.
Najib said paddy farmers would continue to receive special attention from the government in appreciation of their contribution to the country in terms of paddy production.
“I would like to emphasise that we must appreciate the contribution of the paddy farmers. We must understand the hard work they put in,” he said.
Najib said the government had provided a total allocation of RM2.7 billion for the period 2011 to 2020 to develop the irrigation system in the Muda Agriculture Development Authority (MADA) area.
“Our goal is to realise an output of eight tonnes per hectare compared to the present 6.19 tonnes. If we can achieve that target, the per capita income of the paddy farmer households will rise to RM48,000 per annum. This is our goal for the MADA area,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the government felt that all the aid given to the paddy farmers had been worthwhile and the government should continue providing aid because they worked hard.
This year, he said, the government had allocated RM1.69 billion for paddy subsidies and incentives nationwide.
The Prime Minister launched a special aid of RM200 per month for three months for paddy farmers nationwide.
The total RM600 was to help reduce the financial burden of paddy farmers while waiting for the paddy harvest.
Up to 325,518 paddy farmers in the country are eligible for the aid. - Bernama