After announcing the permanent land titles for all villages and planned villages, the Perak government also agreed in principle to allow all nine independent schools and 188 Chinese primary schools in the state to pay a nominal sum of RM1 in quit rent. They are indeed good policies and we are glad even we are not living in Perak, but at the same time, we also feel sad. Especially for those living in Johor.

Johor is the most secure constituency for BN and previous general election results have fully reflected the fact. We have held 12 general elections since independence. BN (formerly known as Alliance Party) managed to gain all Johor state seats for four times and all parliamentary seats for 10 times.

In the recent general elections, as the strong wind of change blew across the country, BN lost five state regimes and the coalition also suffered an unprecedented resist in Johor in which the BN lost one parliamentary seat and six state seats in the state. However, Johor BN still maintained good results by gaining 25 parliamentary seats and 50 state seats with 63% majority votes. This allowed the coalition continue to firmly control the state.

The Federal Government did not forget to repay Johor a “big gift”, which is to make 13 MPs and one Senator Cabinet members in which eight of them are appointed as full ministers and the other six appointed as deputy ministers.

Despite this the people of Johor are sad to see only their representatives promoted to as Cabinet ministers while the land title dream of the Perak people was realised by the Pakatan Rakyat state government. Other than wondering why BN could not make it like Pakatan Rakyat, they also wonder why only the people representatives were awarded while they got nothing in return.

A good policy is indeed to give the best present and the Johor people are still waiting for. (By LIM MUN FAH/ Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE/ Sin Chew Daily)