Kinabatangan, Lamag By-Elections: Make Right Choice For Long-Term Benefit - Masiung

KINABATANGAN, Jan 22 (Bernama) -- The best option for voters in the Kinabatangan parliamentary and Lamag state by-elections on Saturday (Jan 24) is to pick candidates from the ruling party.

Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (PGRS) vice-president Datuk Masiung Banah said this would be advantageous for elected representatives, enabling them to fight more effectively for the interests of the local communities.

"The people of Kuamut must capitalise on the existing good relations between the Federal Government and state government,” he told reporters during the Sentuhan Kasih Desa@Kuamut Programme in Datarang Tongod here today. It was officiated by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Masiung, the Kuamut state assemblyman, also urged voters there to go out and fulfil their responsibilities on Saturday and to make the right choice for their long-term benefit.

The Kinabatangan by-election sees a three-cornered contest involving Mohd Kurniawan Naim of BN, Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman (Warisan) and Goldam Hamid (Independent), while the Lamag state seat features a straight fight between Mohd Ismail Ayob (BN) and Mazliwati Abdul Malek (Warisan).

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

Meanwhile, Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) deputy chairman Datuk Jafry Ariffin also urged the people of Kinabatangan to throw their support behind the BN candidates in the two by-elections to ensure the development agenda can be continued.

The Sabah UMNO Liaison chairman said the political stability achieved under the Unity Government is key to effectively resolving issues faced by the community.

"As such, I ask that the people in the Lamag and Sukau state constituencies choose BN, which is united under the roof of the Sabah state Unity Government,” he said here today.

He said this during the Sentuhan Kasih Desa Programme of the Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (FELCRA) and Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (RISDA) at Dataran Kinabatangan here, which was also attended by Ahmad Zahid.

-- BERNAMA