(From second left) Abdul Yakub and Zahid wave to the people upon arriving for the event.
MUKAH: Deputy Prime Minister Dato Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday made a fresh call to Sarawakians to give Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem the chance to continue as chief minister for five more years.
Describing Adenan as a simple man, Zahid said, “This is his last chance to be the chief minister. He doesn’t want to contest anymore after this, so we must give him strong support.
“If he wants to contest again, it is good. But he knows the right time to step down. Before he could step down, he wants to prove to the people of Sarawak that he can continue with the development that the previous chief minister had done.”
Speaking at the ‘Leader with the people’ gathering at Kampung Masjid in Balingian Sub-district yesterday, Zahid said he was impressed with Adenan’s commitment to the people of Sarawak.
Additionally, his good relationship with the federal government would result in more federal allocations for the state.
At the event, Zahid announced the approval of allocations totaling RM250,000 to upgrade roads in Kampung Masjid, Kampung Lintang, and Kampung Baru Balingian. He also announced RM200,000 to construct a 200 metres concrete trench in Kampung Pulat.
He also gave RM600,000 worth of grants to the Village Security and Development Committees (JKKKs) of longhouses, kampungs and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Balingian.
On the proposed SMK Balingian, he said the school would be constructed soon. Land had been identified and the building plan was being drawn up.
Zahid said he and Mukah MP Dato Sri Dr Muhammad Leo Toyad would work on the issues of the clean water supply in Balingian and the damaged road from Balingian to Sg Anak.
On BN’s candidate for Balingian, Walikota Abdul Yakub Arbi, Zahid said he was confident he (Abdul Yakub) would fight for the people of Balingian if elected.
Earlier, Abdul Yakub requested Zahid to look into the issues surrounding SMK Balingian, clean water supply, and damaged roads.
Met by reporters after the function, he said then Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had promised to build SMK Balingian during the Balingian by-election in 2014.
However, although the site had been identified, nothing had been done thus far.
“This will be the first secondary school in Balingian. We have been talking about this for many elections, and the people are a bit frustrated.
“If we can do something about it, it would be good for the people. Presently, parents have to send their children to secondary schools in Mukah or Bintulu and that cost a lot of money.”
On clean water supply issues, he said they had been raised numerous times, but nothing had been done about them.