We are an open and liberal state. Our Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has made sure female candidates who have always been there are retained in numbers. Otherwise, we would not see women representatives …
— Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri
She may be a three-term member of parliament (MP), but Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri is not taking things lightly in Santubong. Contesting for the first time in this suburban constituency, Nancy has admitted that it’s not going to be easy.
“I am ready to take on this challenge because Santubong is a sub-urban constituency compared to rural Batang Sadong. The culture and demography are quite different,” she told reporters recently.
Nevertheless, it is a forgone conclusion that the former MP of Batang Sadong from 2008 to 2018 will certainly retain the seat for Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) which was held by Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar who has decided not to contest.
Despite being a political veteran, Nancy says she still needs to turun padang to familiarise herself with the people in Santubong.
“Every election is a new challenge for candidates and you have to do your best to fulfil the aspirations of the people,” she says.
It’s not about Nancy winning – there’s no doubt about that – but it’s the majority that is on the minds of coffee shop politicians and the people in general.
Will she win by a reduced or increased majority? In the 2018 general election Wan Junaidi retained the seat by a 19,485-vote majority for the then Barisan Nasional. His majority in 2013 was 20,936 votes.
With the latest registered voters standing at more than 79,000, I see Nancy winning with a very comfortable margin, perhaps even exceeding the majority secured by Wan Junaidi. And why not?
After all, it is a sort of homecoming for her. Nancy is from Santubong and she used to live in Kampung Panglima Seman Lama, which is located in the constituency.
“As a matter of fact, I am still a voter from Kampung Panglima Seman Lama,” she told reporters recently.
Winning big may not be a difficult feat to achieve for this down-to-earth lady whom I have known during her days as a legal advisor of Dewan Bandaraya Kuching Utara (DBKU) for 11 years since 1992.
She is a law graduate from UK’s Hull University, and a MBA graduate from Universiti Teknologi Mara and Ohio University, United States.
She considers it a big challenge because it will be her first time wooing new voters to her side, though she confesses the excellent performance from Wan Junaidi as well as support from the three state assemblymen in the constituency will definitely give her the edge.
For Nancy, I think her candidacy in Satubong is appropriate as this is an opportunity for her to contribute to her ‘hometown’ constituency since she held the tourism, arts and culture minister portfolio in the previous Cabinet.
Santubong is one of the seven tourism belts in Sarawak, which lies from Damai to Tanjung Datu. With her as the MP for the constituency she will definitely give priority to the area and develop it as a majority tourism hub in Sarawak.
Hopefully she retains her old portfolio after the general election.
Nancy’s performance as a tourism minister is unquestionable. Ask tourism players in Malaya and they all have only good words for her.
Christina Toh, the Malaysian Association of Hotels president, for one, paid glowing tribute to Nancy, saying she had reached out to stakeholders to get their input.
“She got the private sector to participate in joint meetings to come up with ways to improve and revive tourism in Malaysia.”
Nancy, unlike those before her, was more proactive in improving the hotel industry, organising domestic travel fairs throughout the peninsula to create awareness about domestic tourism.
One of her brilliant initiatives was the hotel e-voucher initiative of up to RM100 which encouraged domestic tourists to travel widely throughout the country. Her ministry allocated RM1.4 million for the redemption vouchers initiative in late 2021.
I have no doubt that with Nancy back in the tourism ministry she will introduce several similar initiatives to Santubong in particular, and Sarawak in general.
Another major tourism player Ganesh Michiel, who heads the Malaysia Budget and Business Hotel Association, remembers the RM30 million matching grant provided by Nancy’s ministry to upgrade budget hotels and homestays.
“The grant was very helpful. It should be introduced again in 2023 as hoteliers may not have been able to fully utilise it this year (because of the COVID-19 pandemic),” he said.
The grant which was introduced in June ends in December, but then parliament was dissolved last month.
A woman voter in Santubong described Nancy as a representative who “had always been on the ground”. “She has contributed a lot to her previous Batang Sadong constituency and we hope she wins this time.”
Another voter described Nancy as a down-to-earth person who knows what the people need.
“I’ve always heard and seen good things happen when Nancy was around (in Batang Sadong). She always had the people’s interests at heart and I think that’s what makes her a good leader,” he said.
Now, Nancy’s decision to move from Batang Sadong to Santubong is not without controversy. I have to bring it up to dispel the rumours surrounding the decision.
Certain quarters have questioned her decision not to defend her previous seat, arguing that she had not served to the expectations of the people of Batang Sadong.
But the truth is that the GPS leadership has big plans for Santubong as a tourist centre. If the area is to be turned into an international tourist destination, who else better than Nancy with her vast experience and proven track record can undertake the task!
Hence, the coalition’s farsightedness in moving her to Santubong. Nancy is a performer, and she will certainly not disappoint the trust and faith GPS has placed in her; and she will prove her critics wrong.
All the best Nancy!
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
