Subeng greets the people coming for the session at Kpg Sg Benang.
KUCHING: With the 14th General Elections (GE14) expected to be held any time soon, the parliamentary seat of P205 Saratok is seeing an interesting development within Barisan Nasional (BN), based on lobbying activities on the ground by those aspiring to be candidates.
A 53-year-old businessman Subeng Mula is one of those lobbying to be BN candidate and he is known to be actively moving on the ground with visits to longhouses and villages in Saratok since last year.
Claiming to have the support of Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) leadership, he organised two dialogue sessions last Friday and Saturday (April 21 and 22) at Rumah Ben Bali in Tapang Ujan, Roban and Kpg Sg Benang in Kabong respectively.
The ‘Berandau enggau Rayat’ (Discussion with the People) session at Rumah Ben Bali was attended by around 400 people.
During the session, Subeng mentioned that his lobbying for the candidacy was not only his idea, but as advised by the PDP leadership.
“I consider the leadership’s confidence in me as a trust and a responsibility to be upheld as a party member. I also feel it is time for me to serve the people of my birth place Saratok.”
The chief programme coordinator, Councillor Jeffry Jimbun introduced Subeng as a ‘contemporary leader’ much needed by the people of Saratok to helm the new leadership and bring further development.
The next day Subeng held a dialogue attended by around 200 people at the premises of Bachelor Badron who heads PDP Kpg Sg Benang sub-branch in Kabong.
Bachelor, Penghulu Sani, a few PDP sub-branch heads and a PBB sub-branch head said they support the renewal of administration under a new BN leadership in Saratok as suggested by local communities.
They agreed that Subeng could be a catalyst to achieve that objective and accelerate development that had stalled.
In his speech to those at the dialogue, Subeng thanked PDP divisions of N38 Kalaka, N39 Krian and N40 Kabong for allowing him to lobby officially in Saratok.
“I hope the people of Tapang Ujan and Saratok can help us realise the vision and mission we have for Saratok,” he said.
Subeng has 30 years’ experience in corporate administration and management.
He is described by the people who know him as a proactive, healthy and energetic individual with vast experience and connection in politics, and trusted by the PDP leadership.
“I hope the people of Saratok will support and join our activities so they can understand better our objectives and realise our vision and mission for Saratok to accelerate local development under a new leadership brand,” he said.
The current Saratok MP is Tan Sri William Mawan who won the seat on a BN ticket in GE13 in 2013 when he was president of Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) before the party changed its name to PDP.
Mawan’s re-nomination in the GE14 is now in question as he had quit SPDP and is now partyless.