SIBU: DAP’s likely candidate for Katibas for the coming state election has certainly caught the attention of political observers, if not for his political wits at least his good look.
He is Paren Nyawi, who won the Mr Borneo Hornbill Festival 2011 title.
This native of Rumah Jarop, Song was introduced to the public as a likely candidate for DAP by party state chairman Chong Chieng Jen last Sunday at a function in Rajang Park here.
Putting Paren in the limelight has made him a talking point among political watchers, some of whom believe he could draw big support from the younger group.
The opposition believe he could pose a stiff challenge to Barisan Nasional.
Responding to the development, PBB Supreme Council member Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said Malaysia was a democratic country and any citizen could contest in the election.
Question of winning or losing is another matter, he added.
“DAP is welcome to contest in any Bumiputera majority area including Katibas, which is presently held by PBB and they have even announced a pretty boy who won in a recent male beauty pageant by the name of Paren Nyawi, as a potential candidate.
“Well, I hope DAP and YB Chong would not just parade a pretty face as a candidate because it takes more than just pretty faces for one to be a good “wakil rakyat”.
“I thought pretty faces would sell better as artiste for movies and adverts.
“Or maybe DAP is so desperate to make inroad into the Bumiputera areas that they opt for only good looking candidates to entice the voters.
“But fortunately voters nowadays are intelligent I believe it’s not the look that they go for but the capability to serve.
“We will see,” Abdul Karim, who is Assistant Minister of Youth Development and Asajaya assemblyman, told The Borneo Post yesterday.
Meanwhile, in his maiden speech on Sunday night, Paren said he joined DAP because he aspired to see changes in the state’s political landscape.
Paren had also called upon his fellow Dayaks to be ‘awaken’ politically, adding that being the largest group in Sarawak, they must lead in politics alongside other communities.