RM3.5m plot to topple Salang?

by Peter Sibon, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on April 14, 2012, Saturday

KUCHING: Julau MP Datuk Joseph Salang yesterday alleged that a local assemblyman and a former MP of Julau were plotting to topple him in the coming 13th general election.

He said the duo had promised to give RM500 to each voter with the hope of garnering at least 7,000 votes to ensure victory for their chosen candidate in the election which is expected to be called soon.

Salang said their main aim now was to rope in at least 5,000 voters and another 2,000 during the election.

“They said they could win if they can persuade another 2,000 people to vote for the person who is going to challenge me,” Salang told The Borneo Post here yesterday.

Salang, who is also Deputy Minister of Information, Communication and Culture, said although he was unperturbed by these provocations, he questioned the motive of the assemblyman involved as it was against the spirit of the BN.

“If people can be easily bought, then I am very sorry to say that I can’t do much for them. But on the other hand, I know our people now are not easily swayed by sweet talks and promises before any election.”

Salang also threw a challenge to the duo to develop the area so that it would benefit the people, instead of resorting to vote buying.

“If they think that they have so much money, then they should pour the money to develop Julau so that it would bring more benefit to the people who are still lagging behind in many ways.”

He said he had worked so hard all this while to bring more development to the area and if that was not enough then there was nothing he could do about it.

“I leave my political future to the voters as they are the best judge.”

On Thursday, PRS president Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing revealed that some members of BN component parties were giving covert support to certain parties which were planning to contest in Julau.

“We have a serious threat in Julau from people within BN who want to go against Datuk Joseph Salang,” Masing, who is also Land Development Minister, told The Borneo Post, adding that Salang was aware of what was going on.

According to sources, former MP of Julau Datuk Sng Chee Hwa is reportedly planning a comeback.
The source added that Sng, a businessman, might want to contest as an independent in the Iban-majority seat.

Sng, who was Julau MP from 1995 to 1999, had said that he wanted to come back to give a better service to the people.

At press time, The Borneo Post failed to get both SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan and Meluan assemblyman Wong Judat to comment on the latest political twist in Julau.
Julau parliamentary constituency comprises Meluan and Pakan state seats. Mawan is the assemblyman for Pakan.

In the last general election, Salang won in a straight fight against Ambrose Labang of PKR with a majority of 7,584 votes.

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