SHAH ALAM, Mar 5 – Selangor Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK) appealed to the people of Selangor to focus on all the programmes planned by the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Government under Dato’ Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

AMK Selangor Information Chief Amri Saring in a statement yesterday, said all the programmes that had been planned were purely for the benefit of the people as a whole.

He said, the second phase of the Merakyatkan Ekonomi Selangor (MES) agenda, which altogether had six programmes would be implemented during the first half of the year.

He said, the programmes included considering 90 day maternity leave for working women, 14 days for husbands caring for their wives who had just given birth as well as a month’s leave for women who had just lost their husbands.

“Besides that it also includes takaful contributions for the disabled (OKU) and orphans, assistance to young traders and business guidance to youths,” he said

The statement added, Selangor AMK also urged all leaders at village, local authority and district levels as well as State Assemblymen, Members of Parliament and State Executive Council (Exco) members could play a people-friendly role and provide community service programmes throughout the year.

“The Selangor AMK hopes that the state government’s funds of RM28 million allocated for Community Service Centres in 56 State Assembly areas will be used fully for community programmes,” he said.

In other developments, the Selangor AMK was also cynical in its response to a statement made by former Selangor Menteri Besar, Dato’ Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo in a local newspaper on March 2nd.

Dr Khir, in the report published by Sinar Harian, tried to convince the people of Selangor that he had been investigated by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) and was not involved in all the reports made by Ahmad Lutfi Othman since 23 Oktober 2001.

“Let the ACA (now Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission or MACC) be the one to announce that he had never been involved and was found innocent of all charges, and that the case has been closed,” he said.

The statement added, Selangor AMK wanted MACC itself to say this, and not Dr Khir. Commenting on Dr Khir’s suggestion that Abdul Khalid cooperate fully with MACC’s investigations, Amri said the statement was unnecessary as Abdul Khalid was a far more responsible Menteri Besar who carried out his duties and understood his role as an administrative leader compared to Dr Khir who did not even know about tax procedures relating to the Permodalan Negeri Selangor Berhad (PNSB) issue.

“The Selangor AMK hopes that Khir Toyo understands this issue properly and not keep trying to confuse the people,” he said.  – MURIZA ABDUL HAMID