Pakan grassroots leaders concerned by ‘survey’ carried out by group

SARIKEI: Two community leaders here have expressed concern over the activities of a group of people who had recently visited longhouses in Pakan supposedly to conduct a ‘development survey’.

Penghulu Dunggok Megong and Tuai Rumah Budum Marong, who were among the respondents of the said survey, said they and others who took part had thought that it was being carried out on behalf of a government department.

However, they were later informed by Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Pakan branch secretary Alum Tundan, who is also an Information Department Sarawak personnel, that there were no government department undertaking any kind of survey work in the area.

“The group only targeted community leaders and ‘tuai rumah’ (longhouse chieftain) to fill their particulars in every column of the survey form.

“The group had mentioned that they were acting on behalf of someone by the name of ‘Edwin’, whom we thought was either an officer of a government department in Pakan or Julau,” Dunggok told The Borneo Post yesterday.

Both Dunggok and Budum said they believed that the group was acting on behalf of an aspiring political candidate, and that they decided to go to the press to clearly state that they would not want their particulars to be misused by any party.

“We have also been advised to lodge a police report but for now, we prefer to do it through the press. However, we will consider other options if we deem it necessary,” said Budum.

Meanwhile, Alum advised PBB members to lodge a police report if they had been approached by any group or individual, especially those requesting them to fill

forms.

For instance, particulars given by Dunggok and Budum together with their signatures could be used by the group to pursue their political or other hidden agenda, he said.

Among the particulars that Dunggok and Budum were required to furnish were their names, number of registered voters in the longhouse, number of new voters, polling districts, the projects implemented, current issues, and a column for their signatures and official stamps.

Meanwhile Budum, who is PBB Pakan vice-chairman and also the party’s Babai sub-branch chairman, expressed the branch’s full support for incumbent Pakan assemblyman Tan Sri William Mawan to defend the seat for Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) in the next state election.

“There is no need to change the candidate who has a proven track record in bringing development to Pakan,” he added.

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