KAPIT: People who do not live in Kapit, particularly those in Peninsular Malaysia, are often ignorant of the great development that has been experienced in the constituency.
Incumbent Kapit Member of Parliament Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi said there are many outsiders who have been misled by online reports.
“Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has brought so much development to the rural community and we should not listen to the opposition who have lied about the government under him not carrying out development projects for the people, especially in Kapit.
“Those blindly siding with the opposition, who are saying on blogs and on Facebook that there has been no development in Kapit are those living outside Kapit in Peninsular Malaysia and they are unaware of what has taken place in Kapit now. Even though they claim to be from Kapit, they seldom set foot here,” he said during a recent gathering at his residence, which was attended by over 1,500 supporters.
Nanta pointed out that opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim never brought development to Kapit during his time as deputy prime minister and minister of finance.
“He visited Kapit in 1995. During his visit here, he turned a deaf ear to the requests of the Kapit people for the construction of an access road from Kapit-Song-Sibu and instead he only announced a grant of RM15,000 to repair the road at Jalan Bukit Goram to Rumah Bundong (formerly Rumah Enggin),” he said.
Nanta said Anwar also did little as education minister to improve conditions for teachers and schools.
“Now under Datuk Seri Najib, the school has 24-hour electricity supply and teachers and non-teaching staff and also Health Department staff serving in the rural areas are given incentives under P1, P2 and P3, while the daily food allocation for each pupil in schools has been increased from RM3 under Anwar to more than RM12 now.”
Meanwhile, community leaders from Pelagus and Katibas, as well as Barisan Nasional (BN) component party members, all pledged their undivided support for Nanta, who will defend his seat for a fourth term.
Among them were Tuai Rumah Empang from Pala Wong, Tuai Rumah Rabar from lower Pelagus, Penghulu Satem Morshidden, Penghulu Baleng from Song, Temenggong Datuk James Jimbun Pungga, Temenggong Datuk Kenneth Kanyan and Katibas assemblyman Datuk Ambrose Blikau Enturan.
Nanta will face Ramli Malaka from the Democratic Action Party (DAP).
This is Nanta’s first election since 1999, after which he won the seat uncontested in 2004 and 2008.