According to a Borneo Post Online report, the community leaders were angered with Layar candidate Vernon Aji Kedit and Bukit Saban candidate Noel Changgai Bucking, both of PKR, who said that former Deputy Chief Minister Jabu was lying about the Native Customary Rights (NCR) perimeter survey and the mechanism of Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code.
The community leaders called on Vernon to retract his statement and not to associate them with his politics or his intention to incite hatred against the government.
One of the community leaders, Temenggong Dandan Nunong, said Vernon should not fish for votes with these false allegations and that he and other community leaders in Layar would not be taken in by his claims.
Dandan was speaking at a gathering to introduce Barisan Nasional candidate for Layar, Gerald Rentap Jabu, at Rumah Meropie in the constituency.
“I urge the people not to be hoodwinked by the political games of the Opposition who intend to put a wedge between community leaders and the grassroots,” Dandan was quoted as saying.
Gerald, who is Jabu’s son, is contesting in his retired father’s former Layar state seat.
Prior to his retirement, Jabu was the longest-serving elected representative in Sarawak, and served the Layar constituency for nine-terms.