BN’s Mohd Kurniawan Naim vows to create jobs, upgrade infrastructure and boost MSMEs in Pulau Tanjung Aru if elected in the Kinabatangan by-election.
KINABATANGAN: Barisan Nasional candidate Mohd Kurniawan Naim Moktar has pledged to prioritise youth empowerment and local development for voters in Pulau Tanjung Aru.
The 32-year-old candidate said his focus would be on upgrading outdated infrastructure, including building a new mosque, community hall and sports facilities.
He also vowed to create more job opportunities to prevent youth migration to urban areas for stable income.
Mohd Kurniawan Naim said the micro, small and medium enterprise sector in the water village should be harnessed more strategically.
This would involve cooperation with the Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Ministry to help young people venture into business.
Support in the form of skills training, financing access and business mentoring could open new employment opportunities, he added.
“Job opportunities in this village are quite limited, with most residents relying on selling their daily catch from the sea and engaging in small-scale farming,” he told reporters after meeting residents.
Initiatives such as TEKUN Nasional microfinancing are important to ensure businesses can grow and generate income above the minimum wage, he said.
If elected, he pledged to raise issues of development, employment and youth welfare in Parliament.
Pulau Tanjung Aru is a water village located about three nautical miles from Sandakan town, with most residents being fishermen.
The Kinabatangan parliamentary by-election is a three-cornered contest involving Mohd Kurniawan Naim, Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman of Warisan and independent candidate Goldam Hamid.
The by-elections are being held following the death of incumbent Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin on Dec 5.
Polling is set for Jan 24, with early voting on Jan 20.
