Walking the talk in Batang Ai

SIBU, March 15 – Closing any credibilty gap is one challenge that Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) has set its focus on in the battle to win the Batang Ai by-election.

"There is the fear among Batang Ai folks that we will not honour promises we make after we win.
"So we must deliver whatever it is that we have promised. We must convince them. We must walk the talk," PRS president Datuk Sri Dr James Jemut Masing told reporters here last night after a dinner in conjunction with its supreme council meeting.

He said when Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak takes over the helm of the government next month, he will have a new set of rules in doing things.

"I think the new administration at the federal level will certainly walk the talk," he said.
Masing said the lack of infrastructure facilities was one issue for the Barisan Nasional to address in Batang Ai.

However for a start, he said the state government had agreed to give priority to tar-seal the 10km Batang Ai settlement area ring road and two other roads at the cost of RM42 million.
He said there were four road projects in the area under the Ninth Malaysian Plan which had been delayed due to the lack of funds. "Now with funds available under the second economic stimulus package, we can proceed with the projects.

"Of course our opponents will say we do the projects because of the by-election," he said.
On the BN candidate for Batang Ai, Malcolm Mossem Lamoh, 49, of PRS, Masing described him as a gem of a candidate.

"As an engineer, he is well educated, an experienced civil servant and speaks Japanese, Spanish and French. But I fear there is a certain group, collaborating with Parti Keadilan Rakyat, out to deny the people of Batang Ai his service," he said.

Masing said he had been told that the group led by a certain towkay was prepared to sponsor the opposition candidate in the April 7 by-election.

"But whatever they throw at us, I have the gut feeling that we will triumph because the BN will work as a team and the people have always known BN to be able to deliver," he said. – Bernama