KUCHING: Batu Kitang candidate for Sarawak United Peoples’
party, Lo Khere Chiang waited patiently with a pile of printed pledges at the
coffee shop at the Golden Arch at 7.00 am.
As people started streaming
in for the famous laksa, Lo would get up each time and with a smile passed each
patron a copy of his pledge, at the same time asking them to give him a
vote.
A soft spoken man, Lo who
has been the Padawan Municipal Council Chairman for the last six years, was
known to deal with problems using the soft approach. He would not get into any
shouting match with people who were angry with council problems but instead
invited them in to his office to deal with the problem head on.
As one colleague said, the
disgruntled people would go out of the council happier and satisfied with the
reply from him.
Almost at the end of the
campaign period, Lo said although he caught a few hours of sleep each
night, he would fight on to the end for the people’s sake.
Batu Kitang, a new seat
carved out of Batu Kawa and Sentosa constituencies, had been under the
Opposition for years.
“The place is so
under-developed and in some areas, there is hardly any proper basic
infrastructure. It is time the people enjoy the development like other
constituencies under the Barisan Nasional (BN).
“I have a great number of
ideas I want to put forward for Padawan to grow and progress, from improving
the rakyat’s quality of life to developing Padawan as a world known tourist
spot,” Lo pointed out.
Kuching needs a good public
transport to deal with the escalating traffic jam in the city, Lo said. The
government has realised the problem and now it constructs government buildings
away from the city - like the Road Transport Department and moving the Heart
Specialist Hospital to Samarahan.
“This will reduce traffic
jam. Thus if the government continues to take care of the medical health, equal
education and job opportunity, the people can be won over. Our Chief Minister,
Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem has been making a lot of changes for the
people. Thus it is important that the Chinese community vote in SUPP to be part
of the changes,” Lo said.
Flooding is another of the
issues. He as an engineer hopes to tackle to solve the problem once and
for all.
“It is all about getting to
the roots of the problem,” he stated.
In between the
interview, Lo would answer his mobile phone on urgent calls. As his coffee
campaigning ended at about 9.00 am, Lo was off to the kampungs to do his
walkabout.
Joking that despite walking
around and campaigning, he only managed to lose two kilogramme of weight.
“I think all the coffee
shops campaign is not helping me in my weight problem,” he said in jest.
After his morning campaign,
Lo would go back to his centre where he would study problems he came across
during his walkabout that day. From there he would attend functions and be back
at his coffee shop campaigning during tea time. During most evenings, he was on
stage asking the people to give him a chance to serve them.
Stating that the Chief
Minister had asked for another five years, Lo said the Batu Kitang people
should give him a five-year term to prove that he, as part of the Adenan’s
team, would be able to work towards developing Batu Kitang for them.
A childhood friend of Lo,
Stephen said it was time for the Batu Kitang to vote in a capable man.
Lo
throughout his years not only had shown that he could do his job but he did
with firmness and fairness to the people.
Those who know him can see
his strength through his kindness and consideration. Stephen said the people
might perceive Lo as being too soft but it was his way of dealing with
issues.
“He rather deals with
things through discussion than confrontation. That is his strength,” said
Stephen.
Married with two children,
Lo said he was blessed with an understanding family, who had been helping him
campaign behind the scene.
He appealed to the Batu
Kitang voters to give him a chance to prove that he could do it.
Date Posted :
Thursday 05-May-2016
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