STRESSING A POINT: Sim speaks at the gathering.
KUCHING: The Sarawak United People’s Party’s (SUPP) candidates for Kuching have pledged to make poverty eradication in the city their main agenda if elected.
Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for Padungan Sim Kiang Chiok made the pledge during a meet the people session at Kampung Lumba Kuda on Tuesday night.
“There shouldn’t be any poverty issues among the people especially in the big city. Eradicating poverty would be our main agenda not only for the people of Kampung Lumba Kuda but the whole city as well.
“If elected, it is my duty to do my best to improve the lives of the people here,” said Sim. He also highlighted his SUPP transformation team members – Professor Dr Sim Kui Hian (Pending), Sih Hua Tong (Batu Lintang), Datuk Alfred Yap (Kota Sentosa) and Tan Joo Phoi (Batu Kawah).
Sim stressed that if all five candidates win, they would be able to change the way BN served the people here.
“We will liaise and coordinate with each other to improve our service for the people. The liaising is very important considering that most Kuchingites live and work in different areas of the constituency.
“With better coordination, we can ensure that there would not be any lapse in service while meeting the people’s needs.”
He also assured Kampung Lumba Kuda villagers that they would not be neglected if he wins the seat.
Sim pledged BN would work hard to help the Malay community, which accounts for over 6 per cent of the 23,576 registered voters in the Padungan constituency.
Meanwhile, Umno Beaufort information chief Samin Unki reminded those present that BN is a party that embraces unity.
“Election is not the time to fool around or to test the water. Election is not the time for the people to vote for certain candidates for the sake of trying them out.
“Come polling day, be sure of who you will vote for and give victory to the BN,” he stated.
Padungan Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) branch deputy chairman Osman Suhaili pledged the support of the 300 Malay voters in Padungan.
Pointing out that the community has supported BN all this while, he hoped the needs of Malays would also be given priority.
“We want to know what is BN’s development plan to fight poverty here and we hope to enjoy the same benefits given to help the poor community in the rural areas.”
Osman also suggested an education fund for children from poor families and requested a Bumiputera entrepreneurship fund to help generate economic activities for the people.
“Such allocations would help the people to be independent by increasing their income and this would help the community not to depend too much on government aid or jobs.”
Sim is in a three-cornered fight with incumbent Padungan assemblyman Dominique Ng, who is contesting as an independent after a spat with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), and the Democratic Action Party’s (DAP) Wong King Wei.