Can BN retain KDM stronghold in interior Sabah?

Questions raised over lack of infrastructure development in parts of Tenom district.

The British colonial era shophouses in Melalap town.

TENOM: Welcome to Melalap town. Now, where do we go?

A block of three shophouses, built during the British colonial times, is all that greets visitors to this rural town in Sabah’s interior Tenom district, 150km from the state capital.

Other than these run-down structures, erected in 1952, a small police station and a hall complete this otherwise under-developed town, which is tucked inside an oil palm plantation.

The town is home to roughly 2,000 people but it is clear the facilities are nowhere near enough to even cater for half of these residents.

While the three hour-drive to Melalap is relatively comfortable, the journey takes one through the rural countryside, with thick jungles on both sides.

It is apparent that as you travel further into Tenom, home to the Murut ethnic group, this land is being utilised more for planting oil palm, rubber and fruit trees, with infrastructure still found wanting.

Despite any substantial signs of progress, residents still feel the ruling Barisan Nasional government possesses the ability to retain the Tenom parliamentary constituency, including its Melalap and Kemabong state seats.

Whether it is a case of just going with the flow or out of concern, a new government will not be able to do any better, according to some people in Melalap.

Morti Gaing, who operates a coffeeshop at a dilapidated shophouse.

This includes Morti Gaing, who believes BN will still prevail here.

Gaing, who runs a coffeeshop at the pre-independence era shophouse, said residents craved for further development rather than just the dilapidated building where her shop is located, and where she also occasionally stays with her family.

“It’s been a long time now and I heard there’s a new site nearby that has been identified to build new shops. Hopefully, we can move there when the work is completed,” she said.

Currently, people have to go to the Tenom township 20km away, or Keningau, which is even further away, for supplies and facilities like banks.

“We need new shops and also a place to gather farming produce so we can market it better.

“But the feeling is that people still favour BN. Why? Because that’s how it’s been all this while. I’m not sure about the younger generation though,” said the mother of four.

That new site Gaing mentioned is actually part of 102ha once owned by palm oil giant Sime Darby Plantation.

The state government gave compensation of RM14.85 million to the company for the land, with the intention of giving Melalap a major facelift.

A project earmarked in 1988 ran into difficulties over issues related to the compensation payment.

A big banner, featuring the BN candidates for Tenom, greets visitors as they arrive at the Tenom township.

BN’s incumbent Melalap assemblyman Radin Malleh, who is also a PBS vice-president, had said a new Melalap township was one of the items in that grand plan.

Malleh said with this problem now behind them, the project can finally take off, adding the BN government was instrumental in solving the problem.

Pius Pikai, a resident in Melalap, believes locals will not vote for Warisan’s Peter Anthony as he is not from Tenom district.

Another Melalap local, Pius Pikai, 46, said it had been a long wait but what everyone wanted was progress.

“Hopefully, the township development project can start soon. That is why I think BN can win this election.”

Pius said the origins of the candidate was a big factor with voters and this factor might work against Parti Warisan Sabah vice-president Peter Anthony, who is considered Malleh’s biggest challenger in the five-way battle for Melalap.

“At first, Warisan did seem to have strong support here. But when Anthony, who is not originally from Tenom, was announced as the candidate, that feeling sort of fizzled out,” Pius said.

However, the fight for Tenom, which has 29,812 registered voters, is more tricky as DAP’s Noorita Sual is a Tenom born-and-bred candidate who will contest against BN’s Rubin Balang in a three-cornered fight. Both are Muruts.

In the remaining Kemabong state seat, BN’s Jamawi Jaafar is up against four other contenders but Haris Bolos, from Warisan, is seen as BN’s biggest threat.

Tenom, together with its sister constituencies, Keningau and Pensiangan, make up the interior of Sabah, one of the Kadazandusun Murut (KDM) strongholds for BN.

The only time when any of these interior constituencies have been under opposition rule was when PBS was part of the opposition about the 30 years ago. - FMT