Team Adenan’s momentum must be maintained
Barisan Nasional elected representatives must work hard to ensure victory in the general election
ACORDIAL retreat for community leaders took a serious turn when the 200-odd participants began highlighting pressing matters to their respective Barisan Nasional members of parliament. It started out friendly with fun activities but when asked for their thoughts and opinions, the grassroot leaders spoke their minds.
Issues such as the condition of schools in their areas, the perils and advantages of social media in disseminating information and how crucial it was to correct perceptions conceived by the people, were raised in the retreat.
They also questioned why some assemblymen were missing.
An issue raised by the community
leaders, who provide the link between elected representatives and their constituents, was the need for stakeholders to maintain good communication and cooperation to ensure that the needs of the rakyat are met.
“Maybe they are feeling tired from the state elections,” a participant retorted and stressed the retreat was something they should not miss.
It drove home a strong message that BN foot soldiers cannot afford to lose sight of the promises that won them the mandate in the state polls in May.
The retreat was an avenue for community leaders to convey the woes and hopes of the people for the assemblymen and MP to digest, deliberate over and formulate an action plan.
It also served as a platform for the elected leaders to address issues and put any rumours, that could affect public perception and grassroots support, to rest.
Engagement with leaders at the grassroots level is important since
petty issues, if left unmanaged and allowed to accumulate, could become a thorn in the flesh hurting support for the ruling coalition in the state in the next polls.
Sarawak BN’s winning streak continued under the leadership of Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem in the last state polls.
The ruling coalition or “Team Adenan” maintained governance of the state administration after a landslide win of 71 out of a total of 82 state constituencies.
The momentum left behind by “Team Adenan” needs to be maintained since Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had hinted that the next general election will be held soon during the Umno general assembly in Kuala Lumpur recently.
Retaining the 25 parliamentary constituencies hinges on how Sarawak BN leaders serve the people and, to do that, they need all the help they can get, including assemblymen who won in the recent polls.
“The time for talk is over. It is now time for action,” the no-nonsense chief minister had repeatedly reminded his charges.
Recently the state government tabled a development-biased and rural-focused State Budget 2017 — a first deficit financial plan after 14 years of making a surplus.
Adenan said the budget, which allocates RM5.928 billion for development, was needed to ensure sustainability in the implementation of Sarawak’s rural transformation agendas
The chief minister and his state cabinet, have laid a strong foundation in engaging with Sarawak’s 2.7 million people, especially the rural folk. It is now up to all state lead-ers to embrace the vision for a prosperous Sarawak and continue performing for the betterment of the rakyat.
adibpovera@nst.com.my
The writer, born in Kuala Lumpur, raised in Perak, is NST Sarawak bureau chief. A nature lover, he never tires of discovering new sights in the Land of the Hornbills