GE15: Candidates try to outdo rivals with election promises in final lap
JOHOR BARU: The lack of development in Sekijang will be the main issue among voters, says Segamat parliamentary candidate Dr Mohd Zohar Ahmad (pic).
The Warisan man said he also has the advantage of serving the people as a medical practitioner for the past 20 years in Segamat.
“For example, if we look at the road from Felda Redong to Labis, there’s about an 8km stretch of road that doesn’t have a lamp post, which residents have requested from the government for the past 15 years.
“This can actually be solved by placing a solar-powered lamp post,” he said, adding that there is also the issue of lack of housing projects for the second and third generations of Felda settlers.
During the previous general election, the people only had Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan as choices for multiracial parties, but now they can choose Warisan as well, he added.
“I will also fight to improve the healthcare system for the people here if I am given the chance to be their MP,” he said, adding that the people also requested improvements to youth activity facilities, police stations, and automated teller machines (ATMs).
Sharing the same plan is Pejuang’s Mersing candidate Nurfatimah Ibrahim, who wants to improve the Mersing Hospital with the latest medical equipment and facilities.
“There are cases where locals in Mersing are referred to the Sultan Ismail Hospital in Johor Baru, which is a two-hour drive from here.
“I believe it is high time that the people were given the best healthcare facilities in the district, not only in terms of equipment but also by placing more specialist centres in the district,” she said.
Besides improving the healthcare system, Nurfatimah, who works as a local contractor in the district, says that there is also an urgent improvement that needs to be made to the tourism sector in Mersing.
“The government says Mersing is a tourism hub, but in reality, Mersing is just a parking lot for people to go to the islands nearby and spend their money there.
“So we need to balance this and come out with a better plan on how we can make tourists stay and help the local economy bloom,” she said, adding that there is also a need to improve the Johor Baru-Mersing road.
“The road condition has been the main concern for the people because not only the Johor Baru-Mersing route is in poor condition, even the route to Endau and Kluang is in bad shape,” she said, adding that these are some of the issues that she will fight for.
Meanwhile, Tebrau Perikatan Nasional’s parliamentary candidate Mohamad Isa Mohamad Basir says that his focus right now will be on wooing more votes from the youth.
“I wanted to create a platform that nurtures future talents that can replace not only me but every other leader in the country.
“One should not hold any position for too long and should give a chance for younger leaders to lead and bring in more ideas,” he said, adding that he will also open up more job and business opportunities for the locals.
Banking on his experience as a former Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) councillor, Mohamad Isa shared that the locals in Tebrau already know his performance and what he can deliver to the people.
“I prefer to go on the ground and meet the people rather than have them come to me.
“Because I believe through this way, we can better understand the people if we are in the same surroundings as them, see for ourselves the difficulties that they have faced and what we can do as a leader to help,” said Mohamad Isa who is also a lawyer.
Malaysians will go to the polls on Nov 19.