Kinta Valley's Only Malay-Majority Parliamentary Seat Sees Continued Development

IPOH, Feb 26 (Bernama) -- Tambun, the only Malay-majority parliamentary constituency enjoys continued development under the Barisan Nasional.

The development changes are especially evident in Manjoi, made up of a cluster of villages, making it the biggest in the country, and where an administrative and commercial complex had been built.

The complex, which houses a sports centre, the Ipoh Land and District Office and a commercial centre, was opened by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Oct 22 last year.

Meanwhile, a Mydin supermarket is under construction in the area and expected to be ready by early 2009. It will provide jobs to more than 200 local youths, besides be an avenue for locals to market their products, such as snacks.

To make the Manjoi area a tourist destination, 20 houses had been identified for a homestay programme, to enable visitors to experience life in the nation's biggest Malay village

Tambun incumbent Member of Parliament Datuk Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah said in the last four years, the government had allocated RM198 million for various infrastructural projects in Tambun.

"Although more that 60 per cent of the constituents are Malays, these projects are for all races in the area," he said.

Husni, who is confident of winning again the seat, dismissed the perception that PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) had gained widespread support this time around as the elected representatives in the area had all worked hard to meet the needs and aspirations of the constituents.

"They can see the changes for themselves which have benefited them," he said.

Tambun has always been an Umno stronghold. Besides Husni as its MP, the incumbent Manjoi assemblyman is Datuk Nadzri Ismail and the incumbent for the Hulu Kinta state seat is Datuk Mazidah Zakaria, all since 1995.

However, Mazidah has been dropped as a candidate this time, and is replaced by Tanjung Malim Umno wanita chief Datuk Rosnah Kassim, who will face a three-cornered fight with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidate A. Ayyathuria and Independent, M. Sathiyaseelan.

Husni will be challenged by PKR's Mohamad Asri Othman (PKR) and Nadzri by Zulkurnaini Ibrahim from PAS.