For the past 50 years, the Sarawak BN government has been neglecting development in the state constituency of Ba’Kelalan (N70), which comes under the Lawas parliamentary constituency, even though it has been a BN stronghold.

All BN elected representatives are given allocations to develop their constituencies, but Ba’Kelalan has been neglected despite the people crying for development all this while.

And for these failures, the BN is now blaming the opposition.

“I was amused, therefore, to read in the newspapers today that (former Ba’Kelalan assemblyperson) Nelson Balang asked the people of Ba’ Kelalan to return to BN’s fold if they want projects,” said the current assemblyperson Baru Bian, who is from PKR.

“Putting aside the fact that it is totally against democratic principles to deprive opposition-held areas of allocations from government funds, Nelson should be embarrassed to acknowledge that this is happening in Sarawak.

“I would like to point out that I have been the assemblyperson for just three years and that the seat has been a BN stronghold for 50 years before I took over,” Baru said in responding to Nelson’s statement.

Baru, who is Sarawak PKR chief, added: “Let us also not forget that the MP for the area is also from BN, and has always been. What has the BN done over these 50 years for the people of Ba’ Kelalan?

“Do the people have full access to basic amenities, Internet facilities, proper infrastructure, decent schools and adequate medical care? Is Ba’ Kelalan buzzing with economic activities and development?

“If Nelson Balang wants the people of Ba’ Kelalan to vote for BN in the next state election, I have some friendly advice to give him and the BN leaders,” he said, and listed some development proposals for the BN to carry out.

Give the villagers electricity

He said the BN should tar the road from Lawas to Bario before the state election; give titles for all NCR land in all villages in Ba’ Kelalan, stretching from Lawas to Bario; and it should install mini-hydroelectricity facilities for every village there.

The BN should also ensure that all schools in the state constituency are upgraded and given full facilities, including piped water, which is not available in two schools he visited in his constituency, one being SK Long Sebangang.

Another school, SK Long Tuma, needs immediate attention as it is dilapidated. “It is crumbling before our eyes and the electrical wiring is a huge and dangerous mess,” Baru said.

“The BN should look into these matters immediately and also into the needs of all the other schools that I have highlighted over the past year, both in the press and in the state assembly.”

On medical services, Baru wants the BN to immediately send doctors to all the rural clinics in Ba’ Kelalan because there are none at all at present.

His other recommendations include the tackling of drug problems that are widespread in the constituency and to halt all timber logging on land in the constituency, which is also polluting the fresh water supplies of the villagers.

Baru added: “I can assure Nelson Balang that if BN can deliver these eight pressing needs of the people of Ba’ Kelalan, they will vote for BN in the next election and I can retire happily to my home in the highlands.

“Nelson Balang proudly boasts about RM300 million of projects he obtained for the constituency, but he did not enlighten us on the projects that were successfully implemented and from which the people are benefiting now.

“As we all know, it is one thing to talk about projects, but their implementation is often a totally different matter in BN Malaysia.”