KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday made a pledge to the people of Sarawak that the Barisan Nasional government will preserve their prosperity and uphold their rights.

“The rights of Sarawak will continue to be respected and if there are any breaches (to these rights), I am confident all efforts will be made to right the wrong.

“I also stress that the freedom of religion, which is enshrined in the Federal Constitution, as well as vernacular education, which is close to the hearts of Sarawakians, will be defended by the BN government,” he said in a statement on his website najibrazak.com yesterday.

Najib, who is also BN chairman, expressed confidence that Puan Sri Jamilah Anu, who is BN’s candidate for the Tanjong Datu state by-election in Sarawak, would continue her late husband Tan Sri Adenan Satem’s legacy.

“I am confident that Jamilah, who is loved by the local community, will continue Tok Nan (Adenan’s) efforts to transform the rural areas.”

Najib also described his recent visit to Sarawak last week as fruitful, saying he wanted to ensure that Sarawak develops at the same pace with other states in the peninsular.

“I do not want any Malaysians or states being left behind in the country’s development. Alhamdulillah (Thanks be to God), Sarawak’s development is on the right track,” Najib said, adding that he had visited Sarawak a total of 52 times.

He said while projects like the Pan Borneo Highway were beneficial to the people, the government must make more efforts to help those in need, especially in Sarawak and Sabah.-NST