KUCHING: Voters in Pelagus now know they were tricked to vote for the opposition in the last state election and vowed to support the BN in the coming state election which is due by June next year.
A political secretary to the chief minister Wilson Nyabong said the people of Pelagus, especially voters, had realised they were duped into supporting George Lagong the current assemblyman because they were confused then that he was still with Larry Sng, whom the local people thought was still with the BN.
“Now they have realised that they have actually supported the opposition and in turn lost almost RM2 million every year in terms of MRP (minor rural project) funds. This is a great loss for the people who still need basic amenities especially in the 162 longhouses in the constituency,” Nyabong told The Borneo Post on Thursday.
He added that during the leader–meet-the-people session at Rh Seliong, Sg Belawai in Kapit over the weekend, 29 longhouse chiefs pledged their support to the BN and wowed to work harder to ensure the seat returned to the BN.
“In the 2011 state election, the BN candidate lost because the voters were confused thinking that Larry Sng, who has been their elected representative for a decade was still with the BN. Although he did not stand in Pelagus, his proxy George Lagong still won through sympathy votes.
“But now things have changed because they have realised that both Larry and George are actually from SWP an opposition party,” Nyabong said.
He also challenged Larry on his so-called contribution to the economic sustainability in Pelagus, including Kapit Town, during his tenure in office including as an assistant minister.
“Yes, we know he still goes around telling people that he has the Larry Education Fund. But the people also know there are other education funds available for the deserving students such as the Tun Jugah Foundation and Yayasan Teras which is a PRS education fund,” he added.
Nyabong also claimed that under Larry and his father Dato Sng Chee Hua, Ng Merit in Pelagus which was once a sub-district did not take off compared to other sub-districts such as Selangau which has grown into a district.
He reiterated that he would continue to work extra hard to ensure the majority of the voters, who were mostly Ibans, would support the BN candidate in the upcoming state election.
“I will pledge my full support to any candidate whom the BN is going to field in Pelagus. I will make sure that the BN will wrest back the seat with a bigger majority.”
Pelagus has some 17,000 voters made up of 13,000 Ibans; 3,000 Chinese and about 1,000 Malays.
In the last state election, BN candidate Stanley Nyitar @ Unja Malang was beaten by Lagong with a majority of 2,837 votes. The voters’ turnout was only 65.35 per cent.
Nyabong also questioned the real motive of Larry’s objection to the proposed Baleh HEP Dam, which he (Nyabong) claimed would bring the much needed infrastructure such as roads and other amenities to Kapit Division.
“It goes to show that he’s now a full-fledged opposition to whatever the government plans to do for the betterment of the people of Kapit and also for the whole state,” he said, referring to Larry’s recent comments in the Chinese newspapers which quoted the former assistant minister as opposing the construction of the 944 MW HEP dam which is said to cost at least RM9 billion.-Borneo Post
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