Tenom voters want BN momentum to be retained

TENOM: Voters in the Tenom Parliamentary constituency want the Barisan Nasional (BN) momentum to be retained in the area which is traditionally the party’s stronghold as the government had carried out much efforts to develop facilities for the benefit of the residents there.

Pensioner Francis Chong, 71, felt the percentage for BN retaining the momentum in Tenom in the 14th General Election (GE14) would be high as the BN was a party that was committed besides being always prepared to render aid and introduce programmes to further empower development for the people.

Sharing his satisfaction on the government’s commitment, Chong, who is a smallholder, said that five years ago he had applied to carry out a rubber replanting programme through one of the subsidies introduced by the government for the programme.

Now, said Chong, he felt relieved the rubber he had replanted five years ago had begun to show result and could now be tapped.

“I am thankful to the BN government for helping me in the rubber replanting programme. I am most satisfied as the rubber trees could now be tapped. I have just returned from the plantation,”he told Bernama, here yesterday.

Meanwhile, Schneider Keen Shulaimi, 37, who is selfemployed, wants BN to be retained in Tenom so that more development and progress could be brought to the district for the future of the younger generation in Tenom in future.

“That (the future of the younger generation) is more important,” he said.

Another smallholder, Rattu Mansur, 58, felt that the BN would be facing stiff competition in the general election this time around as there were many opposition parties coming into the picture now.

Nonetheless, a private sector retiree, Jumat Kunjin, 63, was confident that BN was still capable of retaining Tenom as its stronghold and he personally wanted the constituency to be retained as the BN was a government committed to development.

“If possible, BN should be retained in Tenom as it is a government that is committed to bringing development here,”he said.

Meanwhile, petty trader Meng Andawai, 33, said it was acknowledged that the BN government had brought much development and facilities to the constituents in Tenom, but he hoped that opportunities for the younger generation in the area would be further strengthened in future.

These included initial capital for the younger generation to start a business and entrepreneurship guidance to enable them to improve their personal potential and earn an income, he said.

In the previous election, BN candidate Datuk Raime Unggi won the Tenom parliamentary constituency with a majority of 3,886 votes.