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MERSING - The Endau state seat is set to become a dynamic battleground between the "track record of service” of its incumbent, Alwiyah Talib of Barisan Nasional (BN), and the "reform formula” offered by Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) young intellectual, Saiful Nizam Samat.
The four-cornered fight in northern Johor is set to be further enlivened by the presence of Hasnul Hakimi Hussien of Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Parti Orang Asli Malaysia (Asli) candidate Jati Awang.
Alwiyah, affectionately known as Kak Awi, has anchored her campaign on the sincerity of her two-term service, carrying a major mission to boost Endau’s inland tourism economy to complement the existing island tourism ecosystem.
She sees huge potential in the sector, especially in areas such as KampungStay@Teluk Buih, Penyabong and Tanjung Resang, which frequently attract tourists, with chalets and resorts recording full occupancy on weekends.
Alwiyah also wants to change the public's perception of Mersing, which is often regarded as merely a "gateway” to the surrounding islands, by promoting destinations such as Pulau Mawar, Pantai Air Papan and Teluk Gorek as sustainable homestay hubs.
"All these plans and efforts must continue to ensure the tourism sector remains competitive and does not stall midway,” he said.
Alwiyah is also focusing on developing the education sector by building a new secondary school in Pekan Endau to meet the needs of students, who currently rely solely on Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Ungku Husin.
"We also want to ensure no group is left behind in receiving educational benefits, from primary school all the way to higher education,” she said.
Alwiyah, who won the Endau state seat in 2022 under the PN ticket before rejoining BN, admitted that she has never been in a comfort zone, describing the election phase as a "battle” that demands sincerity without hypocrisy.
Her challenger, 42-year-old Saiful Nizam, offers a contrasting narrative, bringing with him a "think tank” profile and is currently pursuing his Doctor of Philosophy in Economics.
He is presenting a systemic approach through five main focus areas, including education, economic progress and food security.
The first-time PH candidate intends to revolutionise the fisheries sector through the 'Fishermen's Economy 2.0’ agenda, to be implemented alongside the empowerment of local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to curb youth migration to urban areas.
"When the fishermen's economy becomes sustainable through the 'Fishermen's Economy 2.0’ agenda, its spillover effects will also help elevate the livelihoods of the surrounding entrepreneurs, thus opening more job opportunities for the local community.
"Attention will also be given to entrepreneurs and the local economy through support for SMEs, digital marketing programmes and the creation of new business opportunities to curb youth migration to the cities,” he said.
He also wants to encourage the use of modern farming methods to increase income and strengthen the country's food security.
Saiful Nizam is also offering educational assistance and skills programmes, such as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), as well as English language training to produce a competitive workforce.
He also plans to create the Endau Children's Education Fund to facilitate access to financial assistance for those in need, and ensure local community programmes can be held continuously.
Saiful Nizam is also staking his credibility on bringing issues of infrastructure, fishermen's welfare and residents’ internet access to the relevant agencies if given the mandate by the 28,767 registered voters in the constituency.
A total of 172 candidates are vying for 56 state seats in the Johor election, with polling day set for July 11 and early voting on July 7. - BERNAMA