Chini constituents have high hopes that the next assemblyman for the state constituency will give more attention to the development of public infrastructure and the creation of more job opportunities, especially for the young people.

Those are the two important matters for the constituents right now to improve their quality of life.

Felda Chini 5 Youth Council chairman Mohd Fadil Ismail, 33, said among the infrastructures that need to be developed are sports and recreational facilities to scout new talents among Felda youths and to enable them to venture into sports, professionally.

"The youths here, myself included, really hoped that whoever elected as our representative (at the state by-election on July 4) will look into the possibility of developing sports facilities here.

"I believe that it will encourage the young people to spend their time in a more beneficial way and at the same time reduce involvement in social problems," he told Bernama here.

A resident in Felda Chini Timur 1, Jamilah Md Isa, 58, expected more housing development for the second generation of Felda, besides efforts to improve clean water supply for the local people.

She said it was important for more houses to be developed for the second generation of Felda as many of them were still living at their parents' house as they could not afford to have their own.

A resident in Felda Chini 5, Sarjuni Konting, 62, on the other hand, called for more job opportunities to boost the local economy.

He also proposed that the Felda Terapai project here, which is being carried out by hired workers, be opened to the second generation of Felda so as to create job opportunities for the locals.

"This can be done by giving the land to be worked on by the second generation of Felda, using the same concept used for the first generation.

"If it is impossible now to give 10 acres (4ha) each like my generation had received, maybe five acres (2ha) each will do," he said.

The Chini by-election is seeing a three-corner fight between Barisan Nasional's candidate Mohd Sharim Md Zain, 41, and two independents, Tengku Datuk Zainul Hisham Tengku Hussin, 64, and Mohd Shukri Mohd Ramli, 49.

-- BERNAMA