P193 SANTUBONG-DATUK DR HAJI WAN JUNAIDI TUANKU JAAFAR..TO BE OR NOT TO BE..

FIVE-term Member of Parliament for Santubong Datuk Dr Haji Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar who is also the Deputy Speaker of Parliament is considered one of the most popular MP among the people in Sarawak. Many had asked this question: Who is qualified to fill his shoes should he decided not to defend his Parliamentary seat in the next 13^th General Election (GE)?

He had done so much for the people in 21-year and being appointed as Deputy Speaker brought him to an even higher level as the appointment seemingly had made him even more “persuasive” when it comes in getting allocations for the people in his Parliamentary constituency.

Now my own personal questions are: Can that person (who replaces Junaidi-should he decided to call it quits) par up to Junaidi’s standard or can that new candidate fills the people’s expectations and most importantly-can Junaidi’s replacement wins handsomely in Santubong?

Not that I am “close” to him (I covered almost all of his functions) that I want to write this article. I have seen with my own eyes people crying for him and thanking him for all the help and assistances he had given them and in many occasions, I’ve witnessed old folks hugging him and shed true-tears telling him that they missed him.

Recently, I had bluntly asked Junaidi is he going to contest in the 13^th General Election and this is his answer. “My friend, there are still much more developments and projects that are beneficial to the people can be brought into my area, personally, I am still strong, high-spirited and anxious to continue to give my services especially to the Santubong people, although the people of Batang Lupar are “wooing” me to go back there. However, as a party man, I will obey to the final say and decision from our Chief Minister who is also State Barisan Nasional President Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud to determine this.”

In 1990 GE, Junaidi garn 5,795 votes defeating Wan Habib Mahmud (PERMAS) 3,130 for the Batang Lupar Parliamentary seat and the next GE in 1995 saw Junaidi won unopposed. The next GE in 1999 saw Junaidi won with 7,903 votes against Syid Assimie Ismail (STAR) who garned 2,689 votes.

After swapping seats with Datuk Rohani Karim (Santubong), Junaidi (12,590 votes) defeated independent Idris Bohari (2,030 votes) in 2004 while in the last 12^th GE in 2008, Junaidi who garn 15,800 won with a big margin against Rahamat Idil Latip (PKR) with got only 3,855 votes.

Despite having a tight schedule of chairing the Parliamentary seatings in Kuala Lumpur, Junaidi managed to “juggle” his time to frequently visits to ALL of his three constituencies namely; Pantai Damai, Tanjung Datu and Demak Laut.

NEXT POST:WHAT DO THE PEOPLE OF SANTUBONG HAVE TO SAY ABOUT JUNAIDI?

-UnReportedNews™®