Posted on April 8, 2011, Friday
SHOW OF UNITY: Mutang (left) and Willie (fifth left) with some BN supporters in Lawas.
LAWAS: It will be a huge challenge for Barisan Nasional to bring back over 400 voters working in major towns in the state to vote in Bario for the Ba’ Kelalan constituency on April 16.
Sarawak Rurum Kelabit president Gerawat Gala said it would be a big task for BN machinery to overcome the problem of transporting back these voters in time to cast their votes.
“It will definitely be a challenge for BN, as most of the flights back to Bario are fully booked and land transport operators going to the Kelabit highland are also fully reserved,” Gerawat said to The Borneo Post on the obstacles for the Orang Ulu in Bario to cast their votes in time.
According to Gerawat, the campaigning time is also very limited for BN’s campaign to cover all the longhouses in the Kelabit and Ba’ Kelalan highlands.
He said most of these Kelabit voters were working in Peninsular Malaysia, Kuching, Sibu, Miri, Limbang, Lawas and Brunei.
He said the Kelabit community in the past had always supported BN and will continue do so in this 10th state election.
However, he said it was a good opportunity for Willie as a new candidate to use a new approach.
A lot of infrastructure development is still needed in Bario and only the BN government can deliver these facilities and utilities, he added.
Meanwhile, former Member of Parliament for Bukit Mas, Mutang Tagal who was present to give his support to Willie said, “BN candidate (Willie) will be able to make headway and succeed.”
He said the mighty BN machinery; party workers, all former YB’s, Aduns and MPs were all behind Willie.
“BN will win Ba’ Kelalan with the people’s sentiment for continued development here, he said further.
Nevertheless, he reminded the Orang Ulu community to continue to support BN.
The basic facilities and utilities are needed by the Lung Bawang and the Kelabit, and Ba’ Kelalan is a rural constituency, he said, urging those fence sitters to cast their votes for BN.
We need the government to provide these facilities and utilities and we don’t want to be left behind, he added.
A senior member of SPDP of Kelabit origin Dr Rolland Mattu said BN was traditionally accepted in the Kelabit highlands.
But the BN needed to reach out to the younger generation, as their outlook and thinking are different, he added.
SPDP Ba’Kelalan Women chief Datin Mariam Balan said, “The women wing supports the candidate and we cannot afford to lose the seat.”
“I called on the people of Ba’ Kelalan to continue supporting BN,” she added.
I believed that the younger generation has their reasons for "thinking differently" Could it be that they are not satisfied with the government policy or the YB's are a bunch of useless representative?
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