Bayoi wants Bukit Semuja

SERIAN: Former five-term assemblyman Frederick Bayoi Manggie is making a serious bid to contest the new state seat of Bukit Semuja.

Bayoi, who was Tarat assemblyman for two terms before then chief minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud asked him to contest for the newly-created seat of Kedup in 1996, is heading the PBB Triboh/Bukit Semuja Project, a committee tasked with lobbying for the seat to be allocated to PBB in the coming state election.

Committee secretary Johnny Gondok said as of today, Bayoi is the only serious contender with a real chance to win Triboh or Bukit Semuja for Barisan Nasional (BN) in the 11th state election which many believe will be held in the first quarter of next year.

Johnny said his assessment is based on Bayoi’s movements in the area including meeting up with PBB unit leaders in all the six polling districts which make up the new seat since the day the Election Commission (EC) proposed the creation of the seat among 10 others.

“From day one we have continued to work the grounds, meeting people and holding dialogues.

“Besides Bayoi we have yet to see any other personalities working the grounds of the new seat.

“With hardly six months to the election, anyone who hopes to make any impact on the voters in Triboh or Semuja at the 11th hour cannot hope to achieve what Bayoi has achieved,” Johnny told The Borneo Post in an interview yesterday.

Under EC’s initial proposal, the new seat was to be called Triboh. It was to consist of the polling districts of Triboh with 2,465 voters, Slabi (3,335), Pasar Serian (2,841), Kakai (755) Serian Hulu (1,163) and Sedihan (2,919).

Under EC’s second proposal, Triboh was renamed Bukit Semuja. Bukit Semuja retained all the polling districts except Sedihan which was replaced with Antayan (2,385 voters).

Bayoi has made all the necessary preparations in terms of ground machinery. It does not matter if it is Triboh or Bukit Semuja, the fact is he is ready for the election any time it is called.

“Until today, no one else has come out in the open, let alone gone to the ground, ready and willing to become the BN flag bearer in Triboh or Bukit Semuja,” Johnny said.

“This coming weekend (Sunday), if the police are satisfied with the security issue, we will be having a big dialogue in Kampung Riih Daso,” Johnny added.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/10/21/bayoi-wants-bukit-semuja/#ixzz3p9k2gQFD