Bugaya by-election: Electors want better facilities, economy and education
04 Nov 2022 03:36pm
Image for illustrative purposes only - BERNAMA
A government retiree, Mohd Ramsah Ujoh, 57, from Kampung Tunggulangan, said efforts should be made to upgrade basic facilities, especially in the villages, to ensure they did not lag behind from other areas in the state.
Citing the issue of clean water supply, he said, the problem had yet to be solved despite upgrading work being carried out to improve the service.
"This water issue has been going on for years. Villagers still have to use well water or rainwater, or buy their supply from water trucks for RM80 per 400 litre. To wait for supply from the Sabah Water Department, it is ) it is slow because all the houses want water," he told Bernama.
Housewife Juliana Semmang, 34, from Kampung Sungai Buaya Hujung, wants the issue of poor telephone and internet coverage in the village to also be given attention.
Meanwhile, government retiree Amir Baha Pagagah, 59, also a resident of Kampung Sungai Buaya, wants more development to be carried out to help improve the economic status of the constituents there.
"We want an elected representative who knows how to help the people and boost our economy because Bugaya is an agricultural area and can be used for pineapples, cocoa and vegetable farming to create job opportunities for the young people,” he added.
A trader, Rahmawati Datu Eranza, 42, of Kampung Simunul, said that education empowerment is an important aspect and that the Bugaya constituency has the potential to be developed as an education hub.
"The closure of the Mara Polytech College needs to be re-examined,” she said, adding that infrastructure development alone would not suffice without education.
"We want our children, especially in the rural areas, to have knowledge, pursue studies to a higher level,” she added.
The Election Commission (EC) has set the Bugaya by-election to be held simultaneously with the 15th General Election (GE15) on Nov 19.
The seat became vacant following the death of its incumbent Manis Muka Mohd Darah on Nov 17, 2020, but the by-election was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
So far, two parties have named their candidates to contest for the Bugaya seat. Warisan is fielding a Syariah lawyer, Jamil Hamzah, while the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate is Semporna Umno deputy leader Abd Aziz Mohd Ibno.
The nomination is tomorrow. Bugaya has 32,761 registered electors. - BERNAMA
