BINTULU: It is evident that there is no other choice but Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) candidate Iskandar Turkee in the Jepak by-election.
Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar said this when asked to comment on the GPS Manifesto for the Jepak by-election today (Oct 29).
“There are no other options, only GPS candidate because only GPS has the power and strength to implement development plans for Bintulu as a whole and Jepak as an area.
“It is clear and straightforward that the coalition party has a direction, plan and preparation on what should be done to improve Jepak’s development progress,” he said.
Asfia who is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) permanent chairman stated that there are 82 elected representatives in the Sarawak DUN and of the figure, 76 of them are GPS elected representatives.
“If we choose another candidate, it is as if we are throwing our vote into the sea because one candidate cannot change the Sarawak government’s structure, the Sarawak cabinet and the machinery to develop Sarawak as a whole,” he said.
Hence, Asfia appealed to all of the voters in Jepak constituency to come out en masse on Nov 4 and vote for GPS.
Meanwhile, PBB senior vice president Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom also echoed the call.
Rundi, who is Kemena assemblyman and GPS Deputy Director of Operations for Jepak by-election, stressed that GPS should get a bigger majority than the 4,243 votes it obtained in the last state election.
“If the majority is less than 4,000 votes, then it will give a bad perspective to the strength of GPS.
“So, we will ensure that every voter goes to the polls on Nov 4 and gives a bigger mandate to GPS candidate Iskandar Turkee,” he said.
Rundi said that with a larger majority obtained in Jepak, it will continue to empower GPS in leading Sarawak as the strongest region in Malaysia and respected in the world.
“Today, we are known in the world, so we must maintain this status, which cannot be bought with money but through solid support from the people,” he said.
Rundi is also confident that Iskandar can get more votes based on feedback from the grassroots that many people like him.
“Despite being called a hybrid candidate, he has a background that I consider suitable enough to be a representative of the people.
“I have already discussed with him that attention should be given equally to all residents in Jepak,” he said.
