Awang Tengah: Don’t compare apples with oranges

LONG JOURNEY: Resat (left) handing over the Jalur Gemilang to Awang Tengah upon the arrival of the Merdeka Convoy in Lawas at about 5 pm yesterday.

LAWAS: The younger generation should think rationally before passing judgments on the leaders of the state and country.

Second Minister of Plannning and Resource Management Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said it was wrong to view things, especially development, simply in terms of `haves’ and `have nots’.

“You can’t compare apple to oranges…it is like asking why there is a Twin Towers in KL but not one in Kuching. You have to understand the actual situation on the ground,” he said when welcoming members of the Merdeka convoy who arrived here at about 5pm yesterday.

Awang Tengah admitted that there were weaknesses in the government but steps were being taken to resolve them. This task, he stressed, needed time to accomplish.

He also cautioned about the dangers of playing with fire in cyberspace, such as postings in Facebook, as it would put the nation in a vulnerable position.

“The younger generation must help (the government) to ensure security, peace and unity continue to prevail in the country.

“Just imagine a small conflict at village level in Egypt exploded in cyberspace and chaos ensured. The people, until now, are still unsure who the ultimate leader in their country is. The thing is that the protest, dubbed `Arab Spring’, has spread to other countries,” Awang Tengah said.

On the convoy, Awang Tengah said it was a good event because it enabled the young participants to see the progress that had taken place in the state since gaining independence through Malaysia in 1963.

Meanwhile, state Information Department director Resat Salleh, in commenting that response towards the convoy in Limbang and Lawas was the best during this state-wide tour, urged commercial premises to display their spirit of patriotism by flying the Jalur Gemilang during the Merdeka month.

Shortly after arrival here, the participants joined Awang Tengah, members of PBB Bukit Sari and community leaders for the breaking of fast at a hotel.

After Lawas, the convoy would proceed to Sabah today.

Posted on August 15, 2011, Monday