Candidates looking to strengthen growth opportunities in Sri Tanjung
PORT DICKSON: While tourism is synonymous with Sri Tanjung’s identity as a beachside destination, candidates vying for the seat say education, improving welfare distribution mechanisms and creating job opportunities would further boost the coastal constituency’s appeal.
Barisan Nasional candidate A. Achutan said a more robust tourism sector will lead to greater job opportunities for locals.
“We want to make sure tourists do not just come only on weekends but also through the week.
“This in turn would lead to better opportunities for local communities, which eventually can benefit the economy.”
Incumbent Datuk Dr G. Rajasekaran who is representing Pakatan Harapan intends to complete his “unfinished business” if given the people’s mandate.
This includes further expanding the Komuniti Bestari library initiative and increasing public housing within the constituency.
“A society that reads is a society that succeeds. The goal is to make it easier for schoolchildren to access education materials online,” he said, adding that addressing senior healthcare matters is also in the pipeline before the state assembly’s dissolution.
Independent candidate Datuk A. Sara-vanan will be looking to leverage his experience in leading an NGO to gain support.
“Helping people is not something foreign to me, as I have been doing it for the past 20 years. If given the mandate to be an elected representative here, it will just be a continuation of my work.”
Saravanan said if elected, it will not just be about helping those in need, but also ensuring there is follow-up action after aid is given.
Fellow independent Islah Wahyudi Sainudin intends to empower the constituency’s identity prior to it being known as Port Dickson.
He is of the opinion the constituency’s current identity, including the names of several locations, does not represent actual historical facts or values.
The Sri Tanjung seat, which has 19,590 eligible voters, is seeing a five-way battle.
The other candidate is 23-year-old M. Leevineshwaran of Bersatu.
Those aged between 30 and 39 make up the biggest number of voters at 4,136 followed by the 40-49 group at 3,507; 21-29 at 3,278; 50-59 at 2,810; 60-69 at 2,628; 70-79 at 1,742; 18-20 at 881; 80-99 at 477; and 90 and above at 131.
