KUCHING – The road to Batu Kawah is often fraught with flash floods and traffic jams. Anyone heading to Kuching from Kota Sentosa on a rainy day knows this very well.
Many motorists have had the experience of fording through floodwaters in Batu Kawah before arriving at Kuching during a downpour.
But for DAP’s Dr Kelvin Yii, who will be standing in Batu Kawah for the December 18 state election, the road to victory in this constituency will be a steep and difficult one too.
In a Facebook livestream yesterday, Yii, who is Bandar Kuching MP, described his chances of dislodging Batu Kawah incumbent and Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) president Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian as an “uphill task”.
Yii made an impassioned plea to the largely Hakka voter bank in Batu Kawah.
“I will be standing for election in Batu Kawah (N14). It will be an uphill task for me. The incumbent has millions (of ringgit) in funds. He will also have very strong government machinery at his disposal.
“The current government wants to secure victory at all costs. They even pick a time to hold an election when airfares are expensive and many Sarawakians will not be able to return to their home state to vote. Why? I think we all know why.
“I have a lot of respect for my political opponent but I think there must be a strong check-and-balance and constructive competition.”
He said constructive competition is good for democracy and will benefit the people of Batu Kawah and Sarawak as a whole.
I joined this race to be the voice for the voiceless, for the poor, the least, the last, and the lost.”
Batu Kawah is a suburban enclave located right along the Kuching-Serian 3rd Mile roundabout. A notable number of Hakka Chinese apart from those living in Miri have come to settle down in Batu Kawah and the nearby Bau district since the 18th-century gold rush in the latter.
It also explains why Batu Kawah is renowned for its Hakka pork ball kolo mee.
Today, the Pan Borneo Highway passes through Batu Kawah, linking Kuching city with Bau, Lundu, and Sematan, giving the township an upbeat tenor.
Apart from its infamous traffic jams and flash floods, Batu Kawah is also noted for its many naturally existing hornet nests.
The question now is, can Yii deliver a knockout sting to the one-term yet formidable incumbent Sim on polling day?
Was it a good move by party chief Chong Chieng Jen to pitch Yii for the Batu Kawah seat?
DAP observer and Stakan constituency party worker David Ong told The Vibes that Yii is a good choice as he has gained popularity among urban voters around Kuching.
Yii is the right choice. He has gained a lot of ground and popularity among voters in the urban constituencies around Kuching. Ever since he became Bandar Kuching MP, he (has) hit the ground running and (is) raring for a good fight in Batu Kawah.
“It does not matter if he is up against a juggernaut such as SUPP’s Dr Sim.”
Ong also said Yii has been actively participating in debates in Parliament and is the chairman of the parliamentary select committee on health, science, and innovation.
He added that Yii has relevant knowledge and experience, and that his expertise is critically needed during this Covid-19 pandemic.
“He has spoken and given his valuable opinion frequently on issues pertaining to vaccines and SOP guidelines.
“Just yesterday, he represented Malaysia at a Global Health Forum organised by the World Health Organisation and the Asian-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health to get updates on the spread of the latest Omicron Covid-19 variant and the response of countries to this new threat.
“Yii has been untiringly active in many areas affecting the life and well-being of the people. He is always visible and active on the ground. It is these things that voters see in a candidate.”
On Chong’s move to Padungan, Ong also gave his thumbs up for this “strategic” decision.
“By moving to Padungan, a DAP stronghold, Chong is taking responsibility to serve the voters there who were neglected since last year, as his own party man (Wong King Wei) abruptly abandoned the seat.
“The Padungan seat has always been regarded by the DAP leadership and grassroots members as a highly ‘winnable’ Chinese-majority urban seat,” added Ong. – The Vibes, December 4, 2021
