Kedah fishing village gives Najib a warm welcome
ALOR SETAR: The owner of the stall – “Warung Gulai Ikan Temenung Meletop” – was very excited to receive Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at her stall for breakfast.
Rohani Mohd Nor, 48, said she was surprised the Prime Minister had chosen her stall to have breakfast with Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah before a meeting with the people who are mainly fishermen.
“I went to meet him (Najib) and managed to introduce myself ... (I) felt elated and hopefully Datuk Seri Najib can come again after this,” she said yesterday.
Najib dropped by the stall during the “Santai Sarapan Pagi” (Leisure Breakfast) programme at Kampung Seberang Kota in Kuala Kedah.
He spent about 30 minutes enjoying the mackerel fish curry together with other dishes such as ikan cabut tulang and sotong goreng kunyit.
Rohani said she prepared the dishes two weeks ago after being informed by Kota Setar District Officer Datuk Muhammad Helwi Harun of Najib’s visit.
Najib also met the fishermen, farmers and livestock breeders.
“Thank you for the warm welcome. I hope our relationship will be a longlasting one. I am determined to keep Kuala Kedah progressive under the leadership of the Barisan Nasional Government,” he said.
Rasyida Mohd Nor, 38, owner of the Paklong stall at the market prepared pulut sambai (glutinous rice with chilli paste), pulut ikan masin (glutinous rice with salted fish), peknga (pancake) and tea for the Prime Minister.
“I made sure that everything was just right to be served to our Prime Minister,” she said.
Trader Ku Norhafizah Ku Ismail, 36, said she hoped Najib will be able to provide better amenities for the people here after his visit.
Farmer Ahmad Saad, 67, of Kampung Telok Talipon, said he was thankful to the Prime Minister for having announced financial allocations for fishermen, farmers and livestock breeders in Budget 2018.
Fisherman Kamarudin Saad, 57, said he received RM300 from the Government. But he hoped that the monthly allowance could be increased in view of the rising cost of living.
During the tabling of Budget 2018, Najib announced that for the first time in the history of the nation’s budget, a large allocation of RM6.5bil was being provided to assist farmers, fishermen, smallholders and rubber tappers. — Bernama