GE15: Researcher, journalist and beauty queen aspire to improve life of Tuaran residents

TUARAN: The three candidates for the Tuaran parliamentary seat comprising a former researcher, a journalist and a local beauty queen have the same aspiration of improving the living standard of people in the area.

United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) president, Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau, who is the incumbent Tuaran MP after four terms, said the issue of basic facilities was ongoing for the residents here despite previous attempts at development.

The former researcher at the Sabah Institute for Development Studies and Sabah State Forestry Development Board said water supply and roads were among the basic facilities that needed upgrading to provide a better life for the residents.

"I am a representative of the people here and many efforts have been made to solve the problems, but these are still unsolved," he said after a walkabout in Tamparuli, here, today.

Madius, who is defending the parliamentary seat on a Pakatan Harapan ticket, said that so far in this campaign, the people's acceptance of the party had been very encouraging, and the party was now receiving new members each day.

While in town, Madius bumped into another candidate, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai who was also surveying the area, and the two leaders and their supporters exchanged friendly greetings.

Joniston said the opportunity to mingle with the community regularly made him understand the aspirations of the people and how to implement them effectively.

The former New Straits Times and Bernama (Malaysian National News Agency) journalist said what was interesting was that young voters in Tuaran wanted a local political party that could bring change and he believes that GRS will be able to fulfil that aspiration.

"Talking about young voters, I understand their position and like most of the old voters, they too want progress. Both young and old share the same aspiration. People want a leader with a clear direction.

"We want to see our young people succeed and I always encourage the youths to take on leadership roles at the community level," added Joniston, who is also the incumbent Kiulu assemblyman and Parti Bersatu Sabah information chief.

Parti Warisan (Warisan) Wirawati deputy head, Jo-Anna Sue Henly Rampas said she would endeavour to improve the socioeconomic level of the people in Tuaran which, among other things, had a great potential in the ecotourism sector.

The winner of the 2007 Unduk Ngadau (beauty contest) at the Kaamatan Festival and who has a law degree from the University of London, said Tuaran was very lucky to have the hilly Kiulu and Tamparuli areas, as well as Dalit Beach to be explored as ecotourism products.

"We can create interconnected tourism hubs to facilitate tourism in Tuaran. When this happens, it will result in the creation and development of new businesses, thus providing more job opportunities to the locals, especially the youths, so as to prevent them from migrating to the cities and even to the peninsula.

In GE15, Madius, Joniston and Jo-Anna will be in a six-cornered fight, which also involves Muminin Kalingkong from Parti Pejuang Tanah Air, as well as two independent candidates, Nortaip Suhaili and Boby Lewat.

-- BERNAMA