But the Sabah assistant local government and housing minister is counting on the solid working relationship among Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties, coupled with his performance as the elected representative, to deliver him another term come the 14th general election (GE14).
Gunsalam said local opposition alliance Gabungan Sabah posed the biggest challenge to BN. He added however that this did not mean BN was taking other possible opponents lightly.
“Last time, it was PKR (that was the biggest threat) but this time the strongest is Gabungan Sabah. But Parti Warisan Sabah is also a force to be reckoned with while Parti Cinta Sabah and Parti Anak Negeri cannot be discounted as well,” he said.
“Obviously being renominated depends on the leadership but if I am re-nominated, I’m quite positive about winning, mainly because the cooperation between the BN component parties is excellent.
“It is up to people to say if I have delivered but I have tried my best to deliver (development and progress) with limited funds. I’m quietly confident we have delivered what is expected of a YB (elected representative),” he told FMT.
Gunsalam said the disunity among opposition parties only made BN’s work easier.
“If all of them contest, it will definitely be in BN’s favour. Nonetheless, our following in Kundasang is quite steady.”
In the last general election in May 2013, Kundasang saw a six-cornered fight which pitted Gunsalam against three opposition candidates and two independents.
While the PBS assistant treasurer-general won by close to a 2,000-vote majority, the three opposition party candidates collectively obtained a total of 5,450 votes, which could have beaten Gunsalam’s 4,206 votes.
Jain Sauting, who stood for STAR, secured 1,117 votes, Satiol Indong of PKR received 2,231 votes and Sabah Progressive Party’s (SAPP) Japiril Suhaimin polled 2,102 votes. The independent candidates were Cleftus Stephen Spine and Sam Hondou who managed 87 and 288 votes respectively.
Almost 90% of the 13,322 voters comprised non-Muslim Bumiputeras while Muslim Bumiputeras accounted for about 10%.
Kundasang, the highland capital of Sabah, lies within the Ranau parliamentary constituency along with the Karanaan and Paginatan state seats. All the incumbents are from BN, namely Ranau MP Ewon Ebin (Upko), Karanaan assemblyman Masidi Manjun (Umno) and Paginatan assemblyman Siringan Gubat (Upko).
Residents are mainly highland farmers who plant vegetables and hill padi, and who live among the hills and valleys of this mountainous region of the Crocker Range.
Kundasang is also a favourite getaway destination among foreign and local tourists alike, with the most famous landmark in the constituency being the world-renowned Mount Kinabalu.
Other attractions include the Kinabalu National Park, the Kundasang vegetable market and Bundu Tuhan, a peaceful village where the Catholic-managed Bundu Tuhan retreat centre is based.
Native land applications
Japiril, whose SAPP is part of the Gabungan pact, claims the incumbent has failed miserably to deliver the promises to the people.
“He has not delivered, not even at a 10% level. Many issues involve roads and native land applications. He has been the YB for 13 years here and still this issue has not been resolved.
“Another unresolved issue is the relocation of the SMK Kundasang school from Ranau town to Kundasang.
“It is about a 15km drive to Ranau town. Many people, especially parents, are unhappy with him because they have to travel 30km to send and pick up their children on school days,” he said.
Japiril also claimed that vegetable sellers in Kundasang town had been neglected.
“The vegetable market there still looks like a horse stable,” he said, adding, “He is an assistant minister. He should use his influence to get things like this done.”
As for Gabungan’s chances, Japiril said: “We have a shot at toppling BN. In the previous campaign, there were many who contested. But if we are the only ones running for the seat, we will win it.
“The people are fed up with the present government and they don’t want anymore connection with Malaya-based parties.”
Hillside repairs
According to Gunsalam, besides efforts to supply clean water and electricity to all villages in his area, the government is also working hard to provide proper roads and is taking land application matters seriously.
“We have carried out hillside repairs on roads at Kundasang town to deal with landslides. Half of the new road to Kota Marudu is also within my area.
“But of course, there is still much to be done like the 40km road from Timbua to Ulu Sugut. This is a gravel road that becomes muddy when it rains, and the rural road from SK Langsat to SK Kaulian, which is also about 40km,” he said.
As for land applications, he said BN had been working with the state Land and Survey Department and had managed to reduce a backlog of 50,000 applications to less than 30,000.
“Through the department’s Sabah Native Land Services (Pantas) programme, about 2,000 acres of land have been surveyed for alienation and later to be issued under native title lands,” Gunsalam said.
“If Japiril says we are not doing anything then he is definitely wrong. He is not updated.”
However, he admitted there was a delay in the relocation of SMK Kundasang, citing road access and problems with soil testing as among the causes.
“But we are doing something about it. And for the vegetable market, there are actually 120 new stall units, with another 80 coming later.
“Now we are trying to address land ownership because a portion of the land is under private ownership while a big chunk is also under the state Education Department,” Gunsalam said.
“We’re not sitting on our laurels as there are constraints. We have to follow procedures and the law. ‘Bukan main hentam saja’ (we’re not just doing things recklessly).”
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2015/12/01/55-foreigners-first-to-scale-mt-kinabalu-after-quake/