Kota Kinabalu: Newcomer Upko’s Dennison R Indang who is facing a nine-cornered battle for the Tanjung Aru seat against heavyweights believes he knows and understands the aspirations of the people more than the seasoned politicians.
He said Upko has been working on the ground the past three years in Tanjung Aru, Sembulan and Pulau Gaya“Politicians come and go, they can promise this and that, but we (Upko) we can bring something different,” he said.
He said Tanjung Aru lacks development despite being next to Kota Kinabalu city centre.
He said the situation is especially bad in Pulau Gaya, where around 16,000 residents live without a single health clinic.
“Access to the island is through a jetty behind the Pasar Besar, where many islanders have fallen.
“A pregnant woman from the island who had no choice but to come to the mainland to give birth slipped while getting off the boat. She ended up giving birth on the spot.
Another woman died after falling while seeking medical attention.”“All these issues can be solved if the government implements our demands in the Malaysia Plan,” said Dennison, whose campaign also focuses on Sabah’s constitutional right to 40 per cent of Federal revenue under the Malaysian Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“Sarawak, our neighbour, is more advanced than Sabah. Why? Because we have been denied these funds that we can use to develop our roads, our utilities, water, electricity and then of course our educational services, healthcare services.
“Unlike Sabah, Sarawak does not wait for Federal funding and, instead, uses its own money to improve schools and colleges.
“The long denial of funds has resulted in eight of Malaysia’s 10 poorest areas being in Sabah,” he said.