Nogeh all set to defend Mas Gading in GE14

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KUCHING: Datuk Anthony Nogeh Gumbek says he is all set to defend Mas Gading in the next general election (GE14).

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based said he was very optimistic  of his chances in defending the parliamentary seat for Barisan Nasional (BN).

“My candidacy should not be an issue. I am confident that the party will still nominate me a s its candidate.

“My team and I have been moving on the ground every week, meeting the people and seeing into their problems and needs.

“So my preparations for the general are ongoing,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Nogeh – a BN supreme council member and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) secretary-general – said so far, the party had not indicated any name to possibly replace him.

Even then, he said he was leaving it to the top party leadership to decide on his candidacy.

“If they still want me to contest, I shall go for it. I am confident I can win again in Mas Gading,” he said.

Nogeh said he was personally looking forward for another term for continued development in Mas Gading, because there were many projects that he had approved but yet to be implemented.

He said ever since he was elected MP in 2013, he had approved and distributed millions of Minor Rural Project (MRP) funds to villages, suraus, schools and churches within his constituency.

In his capacity as a federal deputy minister, Nogeh said he had also implemented many projects to boost the local economy and welfare of the people – among them were the renovation of Bau wet market and the construction of a hawkers centre at Jagoi Duyuh near Serikin.

Aside from that, he said over 180 houses for poor families in his constituency had also been built and renovated under government grant.

Nogeh won Mas Gading by a 2,156 majority after garnering 8,265 votes out of 20,384 votes cast in the 2013 general election.

He defeated Dr Tiki Lafe – the former the three-term MP (since 1999), novice Mordi Bimol of DAP and another former MP Patrick Anek Uren of State Reform Party Sarawak (STAR).

Dr Tiki managed 6,109 votes, while Mordi and Anek garnered 5,293 votes and 462 votes, respectively.

Nogeh, who graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from the University of London and was called to the Bar-at-Law (Gray’s Inn) in 1981, was sworn in as deputy minister on Aug 5, 2015.

Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob recently hinted that a general election might be called soon.

“I don’t know the (exact) date of the general election but I believe it will be called – maybe in May, June, July or August,” he was quoted as saying.