Serian folk look forward to Riot being promoted
KUCHING: The people in Serian are looking forward to newly re- elected, sixth term Serian member of parliament Datuk Richard Riot Jaem being upgraded to a full ministerial post by the current Barisan Nasional ( BN) government which received a very strong mandate from the Bidayuh community in Sarawak.
Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industries supreme council member Major ( Rtd) Peter Runin said, in view of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s proposed reconciliatory programme, he hoped their views would be considered.
This, he said, was particularly in ensuring that no community or party was left out.
“The Bidayuh community (Land Dayaks) have always stood by the government since the time of James Brooke. That is the reason why they gave Riot a thumping victory with a 13,151-majority vote in the May 5 general election,” Runin, who is also Malaysian Ex- Servicemen Association
The Bidayuh community (Land Dayaks) have always stood by the government since the time of James Brooke. That is the reason why they gave Riot a thumping victory with a 13,151-majority vote in the May 5 general election. Major (Rtd) Peter Runin, Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industries supreme council member
( Sarawak) adviser, said in a statement here yesterday.
Unlike the other ethnic groups of Sarawak and Sabah, he said, the Bidayuh community had never held the post of a full minister in the federal cabinet after 50 years of the state’s independence within Malaysia.
Thus, Riot, 62, as the sole survivor from the Sarawak United People’s Party ( SUPP) would then be able to wear two hats - representing SUPP as party deputy president and the Bidayuh community.
In Sunday’s 13th General Election, Riot was the only SUPP candidate who emerged victorious while six other SUPP candidates lost in the mainly urban Chinese seats.
Besides Riot, who was the foreign deputy minister, the other two Bidayuh members of parliament, including Tourism Deputy Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos and newcomer Anthony Nogeh Gumbek also won with handsome majorites in Mambong and Mas Gading, respectively, noted Runin.