Willie Liau
MIRI: For Ba’Kelalan Barisan Nasional candidate Willie Liau, winning the hearts and minds of the voters in the predominatly Lun Bawang state constituency goes beyond the “personality factor”.
The Lawas-based lawyer from SPDP is in a closely watched rematch in the Sarawak election against his uncle, state PKR chief Baru Bian, the incumbent.
“I see we have a good chance of wresting back Ba’Kelalan with a change of sentiment among the people who have come to realise that choosing their ‘wakil rakyat’ (assemblyman) goes beyond the personality factor.
“Baru is a likeable person…he is part of us and we are closely related but the people know he has given them very limited assistance over the last five years,” the amiable 48-year-old local boy from Buduk Bui said.
Last night, he had a pep talk with members of the Ba’Kelalan SPDP election machinery here after meeting Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem, who he said was “very sympathetic” to the cause of the Lun Bawang community in the rural and remote constituency.
Liau said his 58-year-old opponent, also a lawyer, was appealing to the religious sentiment of the evangelical Christians, who make up 90 per cent of the 7,375 registered voters, to distract from his failure to deliver on his promises.
In 2011, the controversy over the seizure of bibles using the word “Allah” helped Bian to defeat Liau by 473 votes, but the BN candidate is assuring the Lun Bawang voters of their fundamental right to practise their faith freely.
Liau said his legal firm handled a substantial number of court cases relating to the Native Customary Rights land, and debunked Bian’s portrayal of himself as the sole champion of NCR land owners.
“You don’t have to be a wakil rakyat to settle NCR related issues,” said Liau, who was actively involved in the Sarawak Lun Bawang Association long before he entered politics.
He said he wanted to not only bring amenities like good roads, electricity, treated water supply, schools and clinics to Ba’Kelalan but also give the people opportunities to improve themselves.
This can only be done with the help of the government, and only a BN representative can get that asssistance for them, Liau said.– BERNAMA