Naroden to contest new Gedong seat

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Adenan sings while being cheered on by (from left) Julaihi, Nancy, Jamilah, Naroden, Asfia and Snowdan.

Adenan sings while being cheered on by (from left) Julaihi, Nancy, Jamilah, Naroden, Asfia and Snowdan.

SIMUNJAN: Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais the incumbent Simunjan assemblyman and Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office (Bumiputera Entrepreneur Development) will contest the new seat of Gedong in the coming state election.

This was announced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem when addressing a crowd of 5,000 people during a leader-meet-the-people session at the carpark near Dewan Mesra here yesterday.

“Naroden Majais is the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for Gedong. As for Simunjan, it is Adenan Satem. But of course, I am pulling your leg,” said Adenan, drawing laughter from the crowd.

Adenan did not touch on the candidacy for Simunjan until towards the end of his speech, which lasted nearly half an hour.

He said he had a list of six candidates with him to consider for Simunjan.

“There are six people who want to be the BN candidate for Simunjan, but I cannot nominate all six. Therefore, I want all the six potential candidates to take an oath, that they will not sulk but fully support the chosen BN candidate for Simunjan.”

He then called the six individuals – Awla Dris, Raili Ali, Ibrahim Seriee, Mohd Yusof Long, Zainap Halip and Raini Tupong – up to the stage and made them take the oath one after the other.

The six potential candidates pledged that they would do nothing but to give undivided support to the chosen BN candidate for Simunjan even if they were not the one picked.

Earlier, Adenan said Sarawak had 11 more new seats for the next state election “because we want Sarawakians especially those in rural areas to have a stronger voice in the State Legislative Assembly”.

“We want our people to have their own elected representatives instead of sharing one.”

Following the most recent re-delineation exercise, Gedong is one of the 11 new seats created out of Simunjan.

Adenan said the opposition and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) in particular had opposed to the creation of new seats.

Of the 11, he said nine of them were rural seats.

“They do not want more seats especially in rural areas, but PKR wants to contest in those seats. Why do you want to contest in areas that you do not want to create?”

He reminded the rural community that his administration had allocated some RM1 billion for rural development to bridge the gap between urban and rural areas.

“And who opposed this? The Democratic Action Party (DAP). They do not want us to increase the allocation for rural development. I want the people to know so that they will not be confused. And we have all the records in DUN.”

He thus called upon the people to give him a big mandate in the next state election to put him in a stronger position to negotiate with the federal government.

When he said he was just asking for five years as two years in office “is not enough”, a few people suggested ‘10 years’.

He then responded by pointing out that he was already 72 and would be 77 five years later.

Adenan also told the people here that he had been visiting places across Sarawak in preparation for the coming state election.

“Most of the people still have faith in BN. Nevertheless, we do not deny that there are some people who are not happy with us. But, as a whole, many still like and support BN.”

As he concluded his speech, he led the crowd to cheer ‘Hidup Barisan’ thrice.

Adenan’s wife Datin Patinggi Dato Jamilah Anu, DUN Speaker Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar, Assistant Minister of Rural Development Datuk Julaihi Narawi, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri and Balai Ringin assemblyman Snowdan Lawan were among those at the gathering.