MUKAH: Into the fifth day of campaigning, BN candidate Yussibnosh Balo is confident of winning the Balingian by-election.
“I feel confident that I can win the election,” said the former Dalat district officer when meeting voters at Kampung Penakub Cina yesterday.
He said his confidence stemmed from the positive responses he received when moving on the ground to meet the people.
“We used to stay in Kampung Suyong, moved to Kampung Jebungan, and then we moved to Kampung Tellian,” said Yussibnosh, who had spent much time in Kampung Penakub Cina upon invitations of friends and relatives in the old days.
He said because he had stayed in different part of Balingian, he knew many people in the constituency, and wherever he went he was bound to bump into relatives, friends, colleagues and former neighbours.
Yussibnosh said he had met half of the voters after visiting two major longhouses at Temesu, three major Melanau villages – Sg Jebungan, Kampung Penakub and Kampung Tellian – as well as Balingian sub-district, which included Kampung Suyong and the town area.
He said he would try his best to campaign efficiently so that he could meet up with his voters at least twice before polling.
On the seven wishes of Balingian constituents that were highlighted by The Borneo Post recently, Yussibnosh said he would try his best to fulfil them.
These seven wishes included the setting up of a new secondary school at Balingian sub-dstrict, rebuilding of SK Kpg Tellian, an additional petrol station in Mukah, the building of new Mukah Airport, rebuilding or repair of Kampung Baru Bridge, clean water for Balingian sub-district including Kuala Balingian, and bringing development to Balingian sub-district.
“I was a district officer before. I know what to do. I know how to allocate government funds.”
While campaign at Kamping Jebungan and Kampung Penakub Cina, Yussibnosh called on the people to vote for him so that he could continue with the BN government’s development plan that had been taking place in Balingian constituency.
Meanwhile, Kampung Penakub Cina Kapitan Tay Aik Seng said the Chinese in the village would definitely support Yussibnosh because the village, though high in Chinese population, had good ties with the BN.
“We always have a good relationship with the BN government because this government has been listening to us. We will not be swayed by the rhetoric of the opposition or accept their candidate. We have always been supporters of BN,” said Tay, when met yesterday at a meet-the-people session led by Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
Citing the example of the bitumen road from Mukah to the village, Tay, 63, said whatever the village folk requested, the government would oblige.
“Before the building of the road, we had to use waterway to reach Mukah and that journey took an hour. Now, with the road, we can reach Mukah by road in a short time.”
As the villagers are loyal supporters of BN, he believed the government would also help the village to rebuild Ek Hua Chinese Primary School, which was built 50 years ago. The school has been subjected to wear and tear over the years.
“Recently, the government gave us RM150,000 to upgrade our school,” said Tay.
His other wish was for the government to grant financial help to more than 10 Chinese and Melanau families in the village so that they could cope with life better.
Tay said he knew Yussibnosh’s father personally, and as Yussibnosh had spent much of his younger days in the village, he was confident in Yussibnosh’s leadership.
“I saw him growing up. He was always with us in our village. I used to buy sago from his father. I have confidence in him (Yussibnosh).”
Kampung Penakub Cina is made up of about 70 Chinese and Melanau families. It has about 150 eligible voters.