Kakus incumbent kicks off campaign with longhouse visits
BINTULU: Kakus incumbent Datuk John Sikie Tayai kicked off his election campaign on Thursday with visits to longhouses at Sungai Bawang and Sungai Tau in Selangau
– all conducted in strict compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOP) set for the 12th state election.
Among the longhouses that he covered were Rumah Sawan, Rumah Jarau, Rumah Jantai, Rumah Lipu, and Rumah Alin – all at Sungai Bawang; as well as Rumah Dom, Rumah Langi and Rumah Samuli – all at Sungai Tau.
When met by Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas) at Rumah Lipu, Sikie expressed his hope for the voters to not be deceived by the ‘false promises or manifestos presented by the opposition parties’.
“We have learned a bitter lesson from last general election, where the Pakatan Harapan (PH) had promised ‘the moon and the stars’, but many promises was not fulfilled; for example, the promise to abolish the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans, which had greatly influenced the young people to support PH,” said Sikie.
He then pointed out that despite this promise not being honoured, the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS)-led state government had stepped in and helped Sarawakian students with a settlement incentive of 30 per cent of their PTPTN loan balance.
“This was one of the 100 initiatives introduced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, the evidence of our GPS leaders’ concern for the people.”
Sikie had held the assemblyman’s post for six terms, beginning in 1991, and this time, he still represents Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) – one of the components of GPS.
In the 2016 state election, he polled 7,054 votes to earn a convincing 5,211 majority, defeating Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s Joshua Jabeng and PAS’ Clement Bayang who received 1,843 and 482 votes, respectively.
In the polls this Dec 18, Sikie will face Joshua again and also other contenders, namely Independent candidates Ugik Selipeh and Tiun Kanun, Philip Kelanang from Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) and Peter Tuan from Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB).