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SANDAKAN: Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Kinabatangan parliamentary by-election, Naim Moktar, acknowledged that the sheer size of the constituency remains a primary challenge in implementing basic infrastructure projects, such as clean water supply, electricity and roads.

He said although significant development efforts have been carried out in Kinabatangan, the vastness of the area – which spans both towns and rural heartlands – means that the benefits of development are not felt uniformly.

“Kinabatangan is immense. Development projects undertaken in Batu Puteh, for example, are not necessarily felt by residents in Kuamut or other areas.

“Therefore, larger allocations are desperately needed to implement comprehensive basic development,” he told the media at Kampung Batu Puteh, Wednesday.

He said many villages still lack basic amenities such as clean water, electricity and a reliable road network, particularly in rural areas where conditions are described as dilapidated compared to urban centres.

Meanwhile, Naim emphasised that Kinabatangan holds great potential in the fields of entrepreneurship and tourism, which must be empowered through the provision of infrastructure and effective supporting policies.

“If I am given the mandate as Member of Parliament, I will use the available resources and funds to implement policies starting at the small-trader level, so that their standard of living can be improved,” he said.

“I will also work closely with government agencies to ensure that State policies are not merely heard of, but are genuinely implemented at the grassroots level.”

Commenting on the tourism sector, Naim said tourism entrepreneurship infrastructure is vital to help local operators generate income and attract more visitors to Kinabatangan.

“I will submit several specific proposals to entrepreneurs and tourism traders to ensure the local economy remains vibrant and maintains a healthy economic cycle,” he said.