Lo on his campaign trail

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 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 catches a few hours of sleep each night, he would fight on to the end for the people’s sake.

Batu Kitang, a new seat craved out of Batu Kawa and Sentosa constituencies, had been under the Opposition for years. “The place is so under-developed and in some area, there were 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,” he added.

Kuching, said Lo, needs a good public transport to deal with the escalating traffic jam in the city. He said the government has realised the problem and now construct government buildings away from the city – like the Road Transport department and moving the Heart specialist hospital to Samaritan.

“This will reduce traffic jam. Thus if the government continue to take care of the medical health, equal education and job opportunity, the people can be won over.

Our chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi Adenan Satem has been making a lot of changes for the people. Thus it is important that the Chinese community vote in the SUPP to be part of the changes”.

Flooding is another of the issues he as an engineer hopes to tackle to solve the problem once and for all. “IT is all getting about getting to the roots of the problem,” he stated.

In between the interview, Lo would answer his hand phone on urgent calls.

As his coffee campaigning ended at about 9 am, Lo was off to the kampongs to do his walkabout.
Joking that despite walking around and campaigning, he only managed to lose 2 kg of weight. “I think all the coffee shops campaign is not helping me in my weight problem,” he said.

After his morning campaign, Lo would go back to his centre where he will 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, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem has 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 is time for the Batu Kitang to vote in a capable man. Lo throughout his years not only has 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 may 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 the friend.

Married with two children, Lo said he is blessed with an understanding family, who has been helping him campaign behind the scene. He appealed to the voters in Batu Kitang to give him a chance to prove himself to them.


suppadmin | May 5, 2016