Ex-beauty queen to take on BN’s Joniston in Kiulu
KOTA KINABALU: The tussle for Kiulu state seat in the 14th General Election is expected to be between a former journalist and an ex-beauty queen.
Former Kiulu assemblyman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai from Parti Bersatu Sabah, who was a New Straits Times reporter, is expected to face off the Unduk Ngadau (harvest festival beauty pageant) 2007 winner, Jo-Anna Sue Henley Rampas.
Jo-Anna, who came second in the 2009 Bintang RTM singing competition, recently went viral as she was touted as the candidate fielded by opposition Parti Warisan Sabah in the constituency.
Joniston, 55, said he was ready to face anyone in Kiulu if his name was up for candidacy again.
“As a genuine Kiulu man, born and bred here, I understand the people’s struggles and needs as I myself come from a struggling family.”
Joniston, who is Sabah Tourism Board chairman, said during his one term representing Kiulu, he found that the people wanted to see development and progress continued.
“Kiulu is on the right track to achieve growth. Many facilities have been provided, including road links, besides pioneering rural tourism and recently becoming a new subdistrict in Tuaran. “This was brought by Barisan Nasional and I am confident that Kiulu folk want to see a continuity of this,” he said, adding that the cooperation among component parties allowed BN to become the people’s choice.
Jo-Anna, 29, who is deputy chief to the party’s Wirawati wing (equivalent to Puteri), said she was ready to carry out responsibilities if chosen as candidate.
The wife of a doctor from Kajang, Selangor, however, said she would let the party leadership decide on her candidacy.
“I am not sure yet as this is the party leadership’s decision. In Kiulu, most of them are farmers, thus issues regarding land are close to their hearts and this is what I will fight for.”
In the 13th General Election, Joniston won the Kiulu state seat by defeating PKR candidate Rhodes Panilau with a majority of 44 votes.