Abdul Rahim Bakri, who has been MP since 2004, is well-liked in Kudat and many of his constituents want to know whether he will be retained by the Umno leadership.
Support for the ruling coalition has never been in question in Kudat. Not only has Abdul Rahim retained the seat since first being elected in 2004, the three state seats within the parliamentary constituency have been under Barisan Nasional (BN) rule for the last three terms.
The Banggi state seat is held by Umno’s Abdul Mijul Unaini, Tanjong Kapor by Sabah Special Tasks Minister Teo Chee Kang, who is also the LDP president, while state Industrial Development Assistant Minister Bolkiah Ismail, who is also the Kudat BN chairman, helms Pitas.
All are two-term assemblymen in their respective seats who garnered sizeable wins in the 13th general election (GE13).
Abdul Rahim notched a convincing victory in the last election, collecting 21,883 votes beating Sabah PKR Wanita head Rahimah Majid by a majority of 12,376 votes in May 2013.
About 47% of the electorate in Kudat, which is about 190km from the state capital, comprise Muslim Bumiputera voters while non-Muslim Bumiputeras account for about 40%, and Chinese 11%.
Abdul Rahim was dropped as deputy defence minister in a cabinet reshuffle in 2015 by Prime Minister Najib Razak. Also removed then were deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin and rural and regional development minister Shafie Apdal.
Despite his removal from the cabinet, Abdul Rahim has pledged his support for Najib and vows to continue working for Umno and the people in his constituency.
In a Facebook posting following his removal, he said: “I will also continue to give my support and help to the president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to strengthen my party, Umno which has contributed so much to give me the opportunity to be involved in mainstream politics and serve in the country’s administration all my life.”
He also thanked Najib for appointing him and giving him the chance to serve as deputy transport minister for six years prior to being made deputy defence minister.
Abdul Rahim was accused in the past of being one of 20 MPs involved in a plot to topple the government, a claim that he has categorically denied.
“The report is immoral, defamatory, preposterous and aimed at tarnishing the image of the members of Parliament especially from Umno and BN,” he said in a statement issued to Bernama at the time.
He added that he was grateful and satisfied with his achievements as a leader who had spent 24 years with Umno, holding various positions in the party and government.
On the ground, Abdul Rahim is a crowd favourite as he remains close to his constituents, with many saying he is always willing to help out those in need and treats everyone as equal without looking at rank or status.
An Umno branch leader in Kudat said Abdul Rahim had a good reputation and almost no one had anything bad to say about him.
“His name is still top among the residents and he is known as ‘Mr Clean’. He is known not to be wasteful when it comes to his MP funds,” said Sungai Pai Darat branch head Abdul Qayyam Amirdad.
“He is a leader who is capable, relevant and he knows what the people need.”
Qayyam said while Kudat residents looked forward to more infrastructure development, among other improvements, Abdul Rahim’s personal approach had managed to win their hearts.
“Almost without fail, he will give assistance to victims of fires, floods and even those whose roofs were blown off by strong winds. He is a caring leader.
“I’ve heard rumours he might not be re-named (as candidate) but if he is sidelined, who else is there? I don’t think there’s another person good enough to be the candidate,” said the former Kudat Umno information chief.
He believes that even if the incumbent MP is left out of GE14, Abdul Rahim will remain committed to BN.
Another supporter who declined to be named said the Kudat MP was adored by the community, claiming they would go to the extent of voting for him even if he switched allegiance.
“(It is) confirmed he will win… there is no way he can lose. There are even people saying they would still vote for him if he were to join the opposition because this Datuk is very good,” she said.
Meanwhile, Rahimah Majid, the Kudat PKR division chief, said it did not matter whether Abdul Rahim was picked again, claiming the opposition would be able to breach Sabah BN’s northern fort this time around.
“Our chances of winning both the parliament and state seats are very bright. We have continued our work on the ground since 2013.
“The majority (in Kudat) reject Umno and its top leadership both at state and federal levels,” said Rahimah who also confirmed she would be contesting the Banggi seat.
Kudat, which is bigger than Penang with a land size of 1,287 sq km, sits in the northern-most part of Sabah.
The coastal constituency, an undiscovered seafood capital thanks to its many fish landings, is home to over 124,000 people, most of them Rungus, a sub-ethnic group under the Kadazandusun Murut community.
Tourism is big business in Kudat as between 80,000 and 100,000 international and domestic visitors flock to the district annually to visit its attractions, especially Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, otherwise known as the Tip of Borneo.
Coupled with idyllic sandy white beaches, the sunset in Kudat is a hit with tourists who also like to savour Rungus culture with a gong-making factory in Kg Sumangkap and plenty of native handicraft, either sold in proper outlets or roadside stalls along the route to Kudat.
However, agriculture, not tourism, is the biggest income earner in Kudat. Over 54,000 hectares have been put up for the purpose, mostly involving oil palm and rubber, while fishing activities make up the second biggest money earner.
The tourism industry has yet to reach its full potential although Teo believes it will take off in the next few years. This however needs the government’s facilitation to spur development, particularly in infrastructure.
For instance, islands offshore Kudat such as Banggi, which is the biggest island in the country, and Balambangan, are prospective tourism gold mines but lack proper accommodation and transport services.
There is a ferry service to Banggi and also boats for charter but these are hardly enough, and the low availability of lodgings and public infrastructure are deterrents for visitors.
However, a 130km Tuaran-Kudat coastal road project, which is part of the RM2.5 billion Pan-Borneo highway construction, is seen as a catalyst for boosting Kudat’s economy and tourism industry. The project is expected to be completed in five years’ time.
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