BN Candidate Seeks To Secure Win, Uphold Father's Legacy In Kinabatangan

By Syed Iylia Hariz Al-Qadri Syed Izman

KINABATANGAN, Jan 14 (Bernama) -- Mohd Kurniawan Naim Moktar must do more than secure a Barisan Nasional (BN) victory; he must prove himself a worthy successor to his late father, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, in Kinabatangan.

The BN candidate for the parliamentary by-election acknowledges the weight of expectation, vowing to champion his constituents' well-being.

Better known as Naim Moktar, the Kinabatangan UMNO Youth chief says voters clearly expect him to continue the two-decade legacy of service his father began in 1999.

“I must agree that throughout the time I was helping my father serve the people of Kinabatangan, it was not an easy task. I know how he works and it is a burden for me to keep up the momentum.

“But when the time comes, whether I like it or not, this is my responsibility as I have been chosen by the party to contest in Kinabatangan. I will do my best, if not better, or at least as well as what he did,” he told Bernama.

Facing criticism that his nomination was influenced by family ‘legacy’, Mohd Kurniawan Naim, 32, said it was not his request, but the decision of the party's top leadership to field him. 

Since entering politics in 2013 as an ordinary UMNO member, he has been more comfortable working behind the scenes to strengthen the party rather than putting himself in the spotlight. 

While acknowledging the pressure of the responsibility, he is focused on delivering effective service and pushing for the redelineation of Kinabatangan's oversized parliamentary constituency.

“My priority is to ensure Kinabatangan receives the allocations it deserves. Despite being as large as Johor, the constituency has only one member of parliament, with a scattered population,” he said.

The Kinabatangan parliamentary constituency is almost as large as Johor. At 18,068 square kilometres and comprising just three state seats, Lamag, Kuamut, and Sukau, its area is comparable to Johor's 19,210 square kilometres, which is divided into 10 districts.

Mohd Kurniawan Naim, who is also a BN Youth exco member, said that while he is still gaining experience, he does not underestimate his two opponents.

He emphasised that politics is not merely about honouring past service, but also about ensuring the voices of the community are consistently and effectively represented at the national level.

“I acknowledge that winning this contest will not be easy, given the experience of my opponents. What I offer, however, is hope for the future, to ensure the voices of the Kinabatangan community are consistently represented and that no group is left behind in state and national development,” he added.

The Kinabatangan by-election is a three-way contest between Mohd Kurniawan Naim, Warisan’s Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman, and independent candidate Goldam Hamid.

Another by-election is being held for the Lamag state seat, which is a straight fight between BN’s Mohd Ismail Ayob and Mazliwati Abdul Malek of Warisan.

The by-elections were called following the death of the 66-year-old incumbent, Bung Moktar, on Dec 5 last year.

The Election Commission has set the polling day for both by-elections on Jan 24, with early voting scheduled for Jan 20.

-- BERNAMA