Political activist wants Anyi replaced
MIRI: As the election fever heats up in Baram, former election candidate and political activist Kho Thien Seng wants BN to put up a winnable candidate in the parliamentary constituency to replace the incumbent to ensure victory.
He alleged that based on a ground survey in the constituency, the incumbent MP Anyi Ngau only had a 40 per cent approval rating with 60 per cent in favour of a stronger BN candidate as the former won by a razor-thin margin in the last election.
“What is most important is that BN must win Baram seat, and preferably, there should be a new candidate to reflect the sentiment on the ground,” he said.
In an interview with The Borneo Post yesterday, Kho also said history had shown that the constituents of Baram voted overwhelmingly for the opposition when independent candidate and environmentalist Harrison Ngau defeated then Deputy Minister of Works Datuk Luhat Wan in the 1990 general election. “Development in Baram slowed down and we lagged behind by 10 years when BN lost then,” he said.
Kho had stood as an independent candidate in Marudi state constituency and Baram parliamentary election in 1979 and 1982 respectively but lost on both occasions.
He said the BN had been losing ground in the last general elections in Baram as proven in the 2013 general election when Anyi scrapped through with a majority of 194 votes against PKR’s candidate Roland Engan.
Anyi, the former Limbang and Marudi district officer, polled 9,182 votes, Engan 8,968 votes while Independent Patrick Sibat Sujang 363 votes.
In the 2008 general election, BN’s Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan won the seat with a majority of 4,044 votes over independent candidate Kebing Wan.
Kho alleged that a survey done earlier among the Kayans, Kenyah, Berawan, Penan and Ibans in Baram showed dismal support for the incumbent because they preferred a new face.
“Even if the chance of winning is 50: 50 for the incumbent, it is too risky for comfort,” he said.
Koh noted that the winning majority in Telang Usan and Marudi state constituencies under Baram parliamentary constituency had dipped in the last state election. The other state constituency under Baram is the newly created Mulu seat. The Baram MP was not available for comments yesterday. Assistant Minister of Local Government Datu Dr Penguang Manggil who is Marudi assemblyman shot down Kho’s suggestions, saying Kho cannot predict whether a candidate can win or not.
“Whatever it is, the seat belongs to PDP, and whoever the candidate is, he must be from PDP,” he stated.
He said voters in Marudi make up the biggest vote bank in Baram and could be regarded as the ‘king maker’.
“Remember that N76 (Marudi) will be the determining factor in GE 14 for Baram, and not so much N77 (Telang Usan) or N78 (Mulu),” he stressed.
He pointed out that a wrong choice of candidate would definitely disunite the people as seen during the last election as they would be confused, which would benefit the opposition.