Datuk Francis Harden dismissed allegations against him

suppadmin | September 29, 2015

Assistant Minister of Rural Development Datuk Francis Harden Hollis, who is Simanggang assemblyman, has dismissed as baseless allegations made by Chinese community associations in Sri Aman against him.

He said he had contributed a lot to the development of the constituency and would carry on doing so.

“They’re talking about Chinese associations, which at first it was said to be 15 and later on became 19. But not all the members follow what their chairmen say. Say, if you are the chairman of the Teochews, do you think all the Teochew members follow what you say?

“Hakka and Foochow are also the same. My mother is a Chinese, do you think 100 per cent of Chinese do not know me? But I can tell them I have done a lot, and I still carry on doing what I’m supposed to do. We have done a lot,” he told journalists after launching the 14th Kuching Inter-Cultural Moon cake Festival at Carpenter Street on Thursday.

Harden, who is also Assistant Minister of Housing, said he is confident of retaining the seat for Barisan Nasional (BN) come polling day.

“I wish they (Chinese community) understand and they can check with me or our party branch in Sri Aman what I have done. They said I neglected Chinese associations, but I have never neglected them. But of course, if they fight me; the chairmen fight me, they will never ask for me. They do not ask and they are talking about so many things like widening of the road. I am doing the widening of the road,” he said.

He pointed out that the agreement for the construction of Sri Aman Hospital had already been signed and the project would commence as early as the end of this month.

“We have already chosen the contractor that will come in very soon and mobilise the machine. That is why we are not worried,” he said.

Harden added that it is the Chief Minister and state BN chairman Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem’s prerogative whether or not to retain him as BN’s candidate.