Bintulu member of parliament Tiong King Sing has blasted the organiser and contractor of the newly-opened RM385 million Bintulu Airport for the alleged poor handling of some 10,000 Barisan Nasional supporters at its official opening.

In a two-page signed statement issued late Friday evening and made available to malaysiakini , Tiong who is also treasurer of newly-formed Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), said inspite of what he claimed were earlier assurances from the organiser and contractor he regretted that drinking water and food during the occasion had been "poorly provided".

The new airport, about 45 minutes drive from Bintulu town, was declared open by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad on Thursday.

The turnkey contractor is Global Upline Sdn Bhd, a company controlled by Sarawak timber tycoon Ting Pek Khing. The company's chairman is former Agriculture Minister and a PBB vice president Dr Sulaiman Daud.

According to business and political circles, Ting and Tiong are "not in the best of terms".

Apologise to supporters

In his statement, Tiong, who was at the heart of the controversy in the Sarawak National Party (Snap) crisis that eventually led to the party's recent de-registration by the Registrar of Societies (ROS), first "apologised to the 10,000 SPDP/BN supporters and members of the public for any inconvenience, dissatisfaction and shortcomings arising from the official opening of the new Bintulu Airport."

He made "the apology after receiving numerous complaints and expression of dissatisfaction from members of SPDN, BN and the public who were putting the blame on the BN Government, Bintulu Development Authority (BDA), Resident and District Offices (R&DO)" for what he alleged had taken place.

According to Tiong, all attendants had been earlier informed they would be served with enough food and drinks during the long hours of the official opening.

The Bintulu MP said a group of SPDB and BN supporters from Niah, Suai, Ulu Suai and Sekalok who had departed earlier in the morning at 5.30 for the grand occasion to welcome Mahathir, Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud and other BN leaders, were greatly disappointed.

"They expressed their greatest disappointment over the drinking water and food preparations for the thirsty and hungry members of the public, SPDP and BN supporters at the function which ended at 4.30 p.m."

No mobile lavatories

According to Tiong, he had also been informed by those present, especially women, about their disappointment "as mobile lavatories were not provided."

Tiong added that he learned they were also not allowed to enter the terminal building due to the preparations for the grand occasion.

"Another group of BN supporters also expressed their discontentment when they could not get their lunch as promised."

Tiong said he was also sad to learn that one longhouse headman reportedly fainted under the hot sun at the official opening after failing to get a single bottle of drink.

He urged members of SPDB and BN and the public not to put the blame on the BN Government, the BDA and R&DO as a whole for the shoddy treatment.

He attributed the shortcoming as solely the responsibility of the organiser and contractor.

Constant reminders

He added that the organiser and contractor knew very well their responsibility in this case and that they had even been repeatedly reminded about the latest figure of attendants for the occasion via meetings or personal approaches to the officer-in-charge, even on the very day of the function.

According to Tiong, the emcee also repeatedly assured the crowds that the organiser and contractor had provided all foods and drinks for those attending the historic occasion for Bintulu.

"The organiser and contractor knew that there was no food outlets at the airport yet and that the people required food and drinks during lunch time," he said, adding that he was sad they had failed to deliver what they had earlier assured.

The Bintulu MP hoped that any ministry, agency and contractor would in future look into people's needs when organising similar events involving mammoth public support.

Tiong asked the organiser and contractor of the new airport in Bintulu to acknowledge the shortcomings and apologise to the public.

Meanwhile, malaysiakini understands that Ting is aware of Tiong's statement and has responded by saying that the MP should contend with the state government and not the contractor since the event was a government-sponsored one.