CLEAN AND JUST: Tan showing his personal election manifesto during the launching yesterday. Also seen are Tnay (third left) and Dr Sim (fifth left).
General election a fortnight away and counting but not all have saddled up yet
KUCHING: The GE13 countdown is ‘on’ to polling day on May 5 — triggered when nomination day was over — with candidates from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) and the opposition jostling for the hearts and minds of the voters.
In Sarawak, notably in Bandar Kuching, Miri, Sibu and Bintulu, big names have wasted no time springing into campaigning and hustings.
While the overall mood is electrifying for candidates navigating judiciously within the folds of manifestoes from Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat, Marudi town yesterday had yet to stir from slumber with little life of a poster war between PKR’s Roland Engan and BN’s Anyi Ngau.
But in the state capital, Bandar Kuching BN candidate Tan Kai fired the early salvo yesterday when he launched his personal election manifesto, which he described as “the pledges of a fishing village boy in building a vibrant and harmonious Kuching City.”
In line with his election campaign tagline of “Clean and Just,” Tan said his ultimate struggle for the constituents of Bandar Kuching is to fight for clean governance and a just society.
Besides that, he pledges in his manifesto to bring transformation to Kuching City in business, tourism and safe city.
“I pledge to create and boost opportunities for the business community, especially for young entrepreneurs,” said Tan.
“Among the plans are to initiate and establish a new night market in Padungan area as well as to create a more vibrant commercial hub along pedestrian streets stretching from India Street, Main Bazaar and from Waterfront to Padungan,” he said in a press conference here yesterday.
The launching of Tan’s manifesto was also attended by SUPP secretary-general Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian, women chief Tnay Li Ping and youth secretary-general Wilfred Yap. Knowing the potential of the tourism industry, his aim for the next five years if elected as an MP, will be to strengthen the state’s tourism industry as well as to increase direct flights from major cities around the world to Kuching.