Barisan wins in Ba'Kelalan

LAWAS: Barisan Nasional has won the Ba’Kelalan by-election by a majority of 1,452 when its candidate Nelson Balang Rining defeated his opponent Baru Bian. 

Balang, 48, polled 2,843 votes against 1,391 garnered by Bian, 46, who stood as an independent candidate. Returning Officer Abang Kiprawi Abang Rosli announced the result yesterday at the Lawas community hall here after nine days of intense campaigning. 

Only 56.04% of the 7,896 registered voters cast their ballots. There were 79 spoiled votes. 

The by-election was held following the death of assistant state minister Datuk Dr Judson Tagal who won the seat uncontested for two consecutive terms in the 1996 and 2001 state elections.  

BN candidate Nelson Balang getting a congratulatory kiss from his wife Eveleyn Thomas after winning the Ba'Kelalan state seat in the by-election. The results were announced Sunday. Balang defeated independent candidate Baru Bian by a 1,452-vote majority.

Dr Judson died in a helicopter crash with six others near Bario on July 12. 

It was a close fight between Balang, who was a businessman and private secretary to Dr Judson, and Bian, who is a prominent lawyer and former supreme council member of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak. 

The two candidates are cousins who are from the minority Lun Bawang ethnic group in Ba’Kelalan.  

Bian gave Balang a good run to the “finish line” when the former won by a big margin in six of the 32 polling stations located in the lowland regions of the constituency. 

Balang managed to offset Bian's support by winning in the highlands of Ba’Kelalan village and Bario.  

Bian congratulated his cousin immediately after the result was announced. 

Balang, who is also a Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) division Youth chief, said he was overjoyed.  

“I am grateful to the people for giving me a chance to serve them. I pledge to continue the development agenda for the region as planned by the government.  

“I will do my best to help the people here to catch up with the rest of the state in socio and economic developments,” he said. 

Bian, who is also a senior pastor of the Borneo Evangelical Church, said: 

“I accept the decision but I hope Barisan and the state government will help the people who are facing a lot of social, economic and infrastructure problems in many parts of Ba’Kelalan. 

“Barisan must find out why so many had not voted for them. Look at the results and act accordingly to rectify the problems they are facing.” 

Bernama reported Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as thanking voters who have given their support to Barisan. 

“Congratulations and thank you also to (Sarawak Chief Minister) Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and the entire party election machinery and especially to the winning candidate,” he said. 

In Kuala Lumpur, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Barisan’s victory was expected because the people there had expressed their wish for development.