MAMBONG: Redak Senble lives just 30 minutes from the capital of Sarawak, a bustling city of more than 570,000 people. Yet, for this Bidayuh from Mambong, getting regular water supply is difficult.
Her village has problems getting piped water supply, although flood waters are common, with houses inundated every time there is a downpour.
“There are days where there is no water. I’ve contacted the authorities but nothing has been done to fix this problem. I have to even get fresh water from natural sources,” she told FMT.
The housewife, 54, hopes whoever wins in the Dec 18 elections will attend to her village’s needs.
Farmer Jas, 65, said very little had been done to help solve the flooding issues in Kampung Mambong.
“Recently, 18 houses were badly affected and four households have yet to get any help from the authorities,” he said.
He said the Covid-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdowns had also caused many farmers to stop working but that their elected representative did not offer them any aid.
However, trader Ujita Muhammad, who lives in town, said there were no problems in the constituency as facilities have constantly improved.
“I have no problems as I am staying in Mambong town. I have water, electricity and the internet,” said the 43-year-old.
Adeline Chin, 52, a trader who also lives in town, agreed, saying that the urban areas have been more developed.
Chin said she would rather back a Sarawak-based party because she believed it would be more accessible to voice her grouses.
Meanwhile, DAP candidate Chang Hon Hiung said more focus should be placed on the rural areas.
Chang said some villages in Mambong still had no electricity and water supply even after 58 years of independence.
Despite the constituency being a Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) stronghold, he hoped the people would entrust him to fix the problems.
He said infrastructure in rural areas would be the thrust of his campaign. “I’ve been going on the ground at least two to three times every week since March 2020 and I hope the people of Mambong can see that I’m here for them.”
For the 12th state elections, Chang will be engaged in a five-cornered fight against incumbent Jerip Susil of GPS, Sanjan Daik of Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB), Chong Siew Hung of Parti Aspirasi Rakyat Sarawak (Aspirasi) and Joshua Roman of Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK).
Sarawak goes to the polls on Dec 18 with early voting on Dec 14. - FMT
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.