Julius Enchana
SIBU (Dec 3): Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB) secretary-general Julius Enchana, who will contest in Dudong, believes he can be the icon for the younger Dayak generation in the constituency.
Julius, 33, came from a poor family and worked his way up to running a small business.
From that, he knows how tough it was to become a labourer.
“My family’s occupation is in farming and I was a rubber tapper back then. (In the) Morning (I) went to school (and in the) evening back to the estate. I know how hard ‘bekuli’ (working for people) is.
“I was an ironsmith in 2003 during school holidays. I was in Form 3 then. I came from a poor family. I believe I can be the icon for the younger Dayaks in Dudong,” he told The Borneo Post last night.
Julius later joined the oil and gas industry, thanks to the Murphy Oil Scholarship Programme in 2008, where he worked in several companies after graduation before opting for early retirement.
He previously worked as a senior planning engineer in Petronas.
“Now (I am) involved in SMEs (small medium enterprises) — doing small business to support my family,” Julius remarked.
When asked on his motivation to join politics, he said that the inspiration came from his grandfather, Jeggi Gelayan.
“My grandpa on my father’s side, Jeggi anak Gelayan, was once active in politcis during (the time when) Jawan Empaling was a MP,” he said.
He also admitted that PBDSB was also his reason for joining politics, saying that the party could be a Dayak political vehicle.
Asked to rate his chances in the coming state polls, Julius admitted that there would be many challenges and propaganda from competing parties ahead of the polls.
“It is normal. (But) the voters are the ones to decide who will be the next ‘wakil rakyat’ (elected representative). So, I leave it to the voters to decide. Chance is there,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) has named Josephine Lau Kiew Peng for Dudong, where she was among the 17 candidates to receive their credentials recently from party president Lina Soo.
Asked if PBDSB’s decision to contest in Dudong would affect their cooperation with Aspirasi under the political platform Gabungan Anak Sarawak (Gasak), he replied in the negative.
“Dudong is a mixed seat because some 48 per cent of constituents are Dayak based on the 2016 data. The constituency has about 35,000 voters currently.
“If Aspirasi decides to contest in Dudong, it will not affect our cooperation under Gasak. Both parties are friendly to each other, as we push for Dayak chief minister,” he explained.
The hotly contested Dudong seat will see a multi-cornered fight in this coming 12th state election.
Already in the fray are Parti Bumi Kenyalang’s (PBK) Dr Jane Lau Sing Yee and Aspirasi’s Josephine Lau while Wong Hee Ping is Parti Sarawak Bersatu’s (PSB) potential candidate.
Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak hasnot let the cat out of the bag, as they will announce their candidates for Dudong and Bawang Assan tomorrow.
On the opposite of the political divide, GPS and Sarawak United People’s Party’s (SUPP) potential candidate Wong Ching Yong has been actively moving around the constituency.
Adding to the excitement, rumours are rife that Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing is eyeing the Dudong seat, as he has been actively moving around on the ground.
The Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president however remained coy on whether he would contest in Dudong for GPS during the election.
All will be answered today when GPS announces its full list of candidates for the 12th State Election.
During the last state election, direct BN candidate for Dudong Datuk Tiong Thai King won by a majority of 2,146 votes.
For the record, there are five state constituencies in Sibu – Bawang Assan, Pelawan, Bukit Assek, Nangka and Dudong.
PSB holds Bawang Assan and Dudong seats while Nangka comes under Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) and DAP holds Pelawan and Bukit Assek seats.
from Borneo Post Online https://bit.ly/3dfRY27
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