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BERA – Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Bera candidate Abas Awang intends to tackle educational disparities in the constituency if he manages to wrest the parliamentary seat from incumbent and caretaker prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Highlighting his substantial experience in the education sector, the former headmaster for five different schools said he was known as a “troubleshooter” for his skills in solving education issues.
“When I was a headmaster, they would send me to underperforming schools in Pahang and other states,” the PKR man told The Vibes on the sidelines of his campaign yesterday.
If I am given the chance to represent the people of Bera, I will be sure to identify problems faced by the poor people here, especially regarding school matters.”
Abas, fondly known by supporters as “Cikgu”, faces the daunting task of attempting to break Ismail Sabri’s four-term hold on the seat.
In the 2018 general election, Ismail Sabri secured the seat with a 2,311-vote majority against candidates from PKR and PAS.
Abas, who is also a former Federal Territories education director, said his background makes him the perfect candidate to tackle systemic educational concerns.
“I am a teacher, I know the ins and outs of educational problems. Besides being able to recognise the imperfections of a school system, I know how to develop teachers and principals (to improve schools).
With my many years of experience, I am confident that I will be able to fix the educational gap between students in rural and urban areas here.”
He added that he will be meeting voters on the ground to inform them of his promises, noting that such efforts have been well underway since he began his campaign trail.
“I will always carry out my duty properly because I feel as if I am sinning if I abandon my responsibilities,” he said, adding that he has no history of corruption, proven by his track record as an educational leader.
The campaign event held outside the Kerayong PH election machinery station saw a crowd of about 50 people gathered to listen to speeches by incumbent Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim and DAP Women’s head Chong Eng.
Bera is set to see a three-way tussle between Ismail Sabri, Abas, and Perikatan Nasional’s Datuk Asmawi Harun.
Malaysians will head to the polls on November 19, with early voting set for November 15. – The Vibes, November 10, 2022