SANDAKAN:
Barisan Nasional’s (BN) new face in Karamunting state seat, Peter Pang En Yin, is not interested in promising “the moon and the star” to the voters. Instead, Pang, 49, said he would be more down-to-earth in his approach by tackling issues close to the hearts and minds of the people. It was important, he said, for a candidate to have a strong resolve to bring about changes and to take care of the people’s welfare. “My focus is to take care of the people’s welfare, especially in terms of health facilities, and improving the existing infrastructure,” he told Bernama here. He said the voters would be more appreciative of efforts to improve basic facilities even though some might consider them a trivial matter. “From my observations, it’s important to tackle basic issues. The people want a better place to live, garbage to be collected, good drainage system and better maintenance of public properties. “We should be able to settle ‘small’ problems first before moving to bigger things,” said Pang, representing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). He also wanted to improve basic facilities in Kampung Air as well as in Pasir Putih coastal areas in Karamunting, which he said, had the potential to\become a tourist attraction. “Karamunting is known for the water village where houses are built on stilts on shallow water. It’s a unique settlement and I want to improve the facilities there,” he said. Pang began his education at Saint Mary Primary School in 1966 before pursuing secondary education at the Monfort Secondary School in Singapore. He obtained his 0-Level in England and a diploma in business management at the South East London College. On his return he joined a family business before venturing into hotel management. He now owns Mark’s Lodge and Sepilok Forest Edge Resort, both in Sandakan. He entered active politics when he was appointed as an advisor to the Karamunting LDP youth and later as a LDP supreme councillor in 2006. He is now the Karamunting LDP deputy division chief. Among projects currently under development in Karamunting are the RM300 million Palm Oil Industrial Cluster and the Barter Trade Centre. “These two projects provide jobs to local youths and they need not go to other places to look for employment,” said Pang who is locked in a four-cornered fight with Sak Cheong Yu (Independent), Tan Shu Tee (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) and Chok Kon Tack (DAP) in the March 8 general election. BN’s Datuk Wong Lien Tat won the seat in 2004 with a majority of 1,579 votes, beating Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s Chin Vui Keong and Sak (Independent). -Bernama
