State Industrial, Investment and Corridor Development Committee chairman Mohammad Zahir Abdul Khalid said Nga’s response showed the DAP chairman felt threatened by the state government’s approach to be close to the people.

“What the menteri besar did was in line with the 3P principles of ‘pendekatan’ (approach), ‘turun padang’ (going to the ground) and ‘penyelesaian’ (solution) practised by the state government.

“It is not the first time the menteri besar has done this,” he said in a statement here today.

Nga had questioned Zambry’s action, saying that it was a cheap publicity stunt as the menteri besar had brought along reporters and cameramen.

Yesterday, Zambry, along with Ipoh Mayor Zamri Man and Ipoh city council members, swept and cleaned the city streets from 6.30am to 9am.

Wearing the orange uniform of Ipoh City Council general workers, Zambry swept up rubbish and emptied waste disposal bins into a garbage truck along the streets in Buntong, Little India and the Ipoh Central Market.

Zahir also said Nga’s claim that Perak is the second poorest state in the country only reflected his ignorance of the state’s development.

He said Perak recorded an economic growth of 7.7% from 2012 to 2015.

“In terms of the poor and hardcore poor, Perak’s poverty rate is only 3.29%, which is better compared with Penang and Selangor.

“The percentage of hardcore poor in Perak is only 0.74% and also far better than the two states,” he added.

He said the statistics were obtained from a report made in August last year and suggested that Nga check the facts before issuing any statement.