KOTA KINABALU, Nov 9 — Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) candidate for the N.22 Tanjung Aru seat, Datuk Chan Foong Hin, is determined to bridge the development gap in the area by leveraging his extensive experience in government administration.
He aims to bring a new breath of development to Tanjung Aru so that the people can enjoy more equitable, prosperous, and inclusive progress.
According to Chan, although Tanjung Aru falls under the Putatan parliamentary constituency, socio-economically and in terms of the people’s livelihoods, the area is actually closer to Kota Kinabalu and is an important part of the Greater Kota Kinabalu region.
“Here, there are various modern buildings and key locations such as shopping malls, luxury resorts, and the Kota Kinabalu International Airport. However, behind this progress, there are still underprivileged communities that require serious attention. The time has come for Tanjung Aru to have a people’s representative who is capable of fighting for balanced development for all segments of society,” he said.
The incumbent assemblyman for Tanjung Aru is Datuk Junz Wong from Warisan since May 2018.
Chan added that recent visits to Pulau Gaya and Sembulan highlighted the urgent need to upgrade infrastructure and strengthen the well-being of residents, given the significant disparity between old and new areas.
“If I am entrusted by the people in this election, I can be an effective link between the federal government and the state government. My goal is to ensure the smooth delivery and coordination of policies so that the benefits of development are truly felt by the people of Sabah — especially in Tanjung Aru,” he stated.
Chan, who currently serves as deputy minister of plantation and commodities and as the Member of Parliament for Kota Kinabalu, was announced as the prospective candidate by DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook, on Saturday.
On the same day, Chan and his team held the launch ceremony for the Pakatan Harapan N.22 Tanjung Aru operations room in the afternoon, marking the official start of his campaign machinery.
The launch ceremony was also attended by Deputy Minister of MITI and also the director of Strategy for DAP Malaysia, Liew Chin Tong, Sabah DAP chairman Phoong Jin Zhe and Sabah DAP secretary Vivian Wong.
In his speech, Loke gave positive comments on the commitment and efficiency of Chan and his team, expressing confidence that Chan’s experience and capabilities would bring a brighter future to the people of Sabah.
As minister of transport, Loke also announced that the Cabinet had approved the proposal from the Ministry of Transport to upgrade Terminal 2 of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport into the Sabah Air Cargo Logistics Centre, to enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of the state’s air transport sector.
“I am aware that Tanjung Aru still faces various people’s issues, but I am confident that under Chan’s leadership, these issues can be addressed effectively,” he said.
Meanwhile, Phoong also expressed his full support for Chan and thanked him for his willingness to take on the great responsibility of representing Pakatan Harapan–DAP to contest in Tanjung Aru in this state election.
The Pakatan Harapan N.22 Tanjung Aru Operations Room is now operating on the grounds of the hall next to Golden Hotel, Jalan Kampung Sembulan. Those interested in volunteering to assist the campaign can contact the campaign manager, Kaven Lee, at 016-8814047. — The Borneo Post
