Kinabatangan: 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 stated that this decision would be advantageous for elected representatives, enabling them to fight more effectively for the interests of the local communities.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Masiung, who is the Kuamut state assemblyman, urged voters to capitalise on the existing good relations between the Federal Government and the state government. He made these remarks to reporters during the Sentuhan Kasih Desa@Kuamut Programme in Datarang Tongod, which was officiated by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Masiung also encouraged voters to fulfil their responsibilities on Saturday and make choices that would benefit their long-term welfare.
The upcoming Kinabatangan by-election features a three-cornered contest involving BN's Mohd Kurniawan Naim, Warisan's Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman, and Independent candidate Goldam Hamid. In contrast, the Lamag state seat sees a straight fight between BN's Mohd Ismail Ayob and Warisan's Mazliwati Abdul Malek. These by-elections were necessitated following the death of the incumbent Bung Moktar, 66, on December 5 last year.
In a related development, Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) deputy chairman Datuk Jafry Ariffin also called on the people of Kinabatangan to support BN candidates to ensure the continuation of development agendas. He emphasized that the political stability achieved under the Unity Government is crucial for effectively addressing community issues. Jafry urged voters in the Lamag and Sukau state constituencies to choose BN, which is aligned with the Sabah state Unity Government. His remarks came 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, which was also attended by Ahmad Zahid.