BINTULU, Dec 12 — Kakus incumbent from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Datuk John Sikie Tayai said the constituency had lost at least RM60 million in allocation for various government projects due to a previous mistake in voting for an MP for Selangau who is not from the state government.
“But when he (Selangau MP Baru Bian) was in government for 22 months, we had no projects at that time.
“Even now we don’t know where he is. The reason is he is not a local from here.
“This is a lesson to all of us not to choose the wrong representative and party,” he said when campaigning at Rumah Charlee Ujang, Sungai Sap in Tatau today.
Sikie, who will be defending Kakus under the GPS ticket in the 12th Sarawak polls, said the constituents here must learn from past mistakes and not choose the wrong government like what happened during the 14th General Election, which caused them to lose five precious years worth of development projects.
He said GPS, being a Sarawak-based political coalition, knows what is best for Sarawakians with over 100 initiatives introduced and implemented under the leadership of Chief Minister Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg.
Local community leader Pemanca Gerosen Jubin, meanwhile urged the people to vote for an elected representative who can serve and walk the talk, and thus to give their strong support to the GPS candidate.
“This is important to enable Datuk John Sikie to get a large majority and in turn it is our hope that he will be appointed as the full minister,” he said.
Meanwhile, Penghulu Alister Ali Digat said Sikie should be voted in the coming polls on Dec 18 for him to continue serving, as he is a people-oriented leader who was always available for his constituents.
He said Sikie, in just a year, had been moving around the constituency 178 times to monitor the progress of the development projects in Kakus, albeit his tight schedule as an assistant minister.
According to him, unlike Sikie, the Selangau MP has not been seen here for more than a year.
Among the longhouses visited by Sikie yesterday were Rumah Charlee Ujang, Sungai Sap, Tatau; Rumah Nyanau, Sungai Sap, Tatau; Rumah Sunggom, Sungai Sap, Tatau; Rumah Salang, Separai, Tatau; Rumah Alfred Jalang, Separai, Tatau; Rumah John Sumping, Selitut, Tatau; Rumah Gama, Selitut, Tatau and Rumah Kilut, Selitut, Tatau.
In the coming Sarawak Election, Sikie will be facing two independent candidates Ugik Selipeh and Tiun Anak Kanun, as well as Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s (PKR) Joshua Jabeng, Parti Sarawak Bersatu’s (PSB) Peter Tuan, and Parti Bumi Kenyalang’s (PBK) Philip Kelanang Diung.
Also present during the function were Sikie’s wife Datin Melia Gelen, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Kakus women chief Mary Lubon and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu Kakus women chief Rohana Abdullah. — Borneo Post
