Trip to putrajaya by grassroots leaders: Is there more to it than just to meet Najib and Zahid Hamidi?

By Simon Peter

KUCHING, September 28, 2017 - Netizens are baffled at the trip to Putrajaya by about 150  community leaders and Barisan Nasional supporters from Kapit, Kanowit and Ulu Rajang parliamentary constituencies.

 Is the trip to pressure Putrajaya to allocate funds for the construction of the interior highway that Tan Sri Dr James Masing wants to see completed during his time with the state government?

They want to know the motive of the trip and whose idea it is. The netizens felt that the trip has nothing to do with the going-on political wrangling in PRS.

The community leaders and BN supporters left yesterday on board a military aircraft and due to meet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his deputy Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today.

According to Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing, these grassroots leaders wanted to discuss with Najib and Zahid issues which were important to the people of the Rajang River Basin.

He led the 150 community and BN supporters to meet the top two federal leaders.

Netizens asked if there is more to it than just meeting the two leaders?

Is the trip to brainwash these grassroots leaders ahead of the general election?

If that is the motive, then it is out of place since Kapit, Kanowit and Ulu Rajang are seats considered as safe for the BN.

Maybe, these grassroots leaders are being used to pressure the federal government to allocate funds for the construction of the road network that would run towards the North East from Betong along the border with Kalimantan, Indonesia. 

The interior highway with a distance of about 300 km would end at Ulu Sungai Baleh where Baleh Hydropower Dam is located.

At the state assembly session in November last year, Masing, who is Baleh assemblyman, had said the interior highway would lead to the opening of the land in the interior of Sarawak from Ulu Sungai Layar, Pakan, Julau, Kanowit, Song and Kapit.

The interior highway would allow economic development in the areas which had yet to be developed due to distance and inaccessibility and that it would ensure the security of the dams and other sensitive installations.

With the state funds being committed elsewhere, it is obvious that Masing will have to turn to Putrajaya to finance the interior highway.

He has been hopeful for the completion of this highway to open up the inaccessible interior areas during his time in the state government.

Hence, the trip is hoping for Putrajaya to allocate funds for the construction of the interior highway. And what a better timing it is since the federal budget 2018 is to be tabled at the end of next month.

Perhaps, a little political pressure on Putrajaya may succeed with the general election looming as a lame excuse to ask for the allocation.