BARISAN Nasional candidate for Betong (P.204) Robert Lawson Chuat, born on 14 June, 1958, is the third of seven siblings. He was born and raised in an Iban longhouse Matop, Paku, Spaoh in Betong Division. His late father Vincent Entering Kelimbang who died in 2010 was a school teacher whereas his mother Uney Begam is still healthy at 86. Chuat attended and completed his primary and secondary education at Betong’s St Augustine Primary and Secondary Schools respectively.
He went to further his studies in the United Kingdom and came back with a degree in Business Studies from Brighton Polytechnic. Back in Sarawak with a degree he served in various capacities in the private sector before entering politics. In the 2006 State Election Chuat was fielded as the BN-PBB candidate for the newly created Bukit Saban State Constituency.
He was challenged by Edwin Dundang Bugak from Sarawak National Party (SNAP). He garnered 3,258 votes against Dundang’s 1,420 thereby winning with a majority of 1,838 votes. In the 2011 State Election, Bukit Saban saw a three-corner fight with Chuat defending the seat for BN. His two opponents were Jerah Engkiong @ Edward Jerah from PKR and Dayrell Walter Entrie from
SNAP. He secured 68.83 per cent of the votes with 3,899 compared to Jerah’s 1,125 and Dayrell’s 641.
In his second term as Bukit Saban rep, Chuat was appointed as Assistant Minister of Welfare, Women and Family Development. For his exemplary services, he was bestowed the national award Kesatria Mangku Negara (KMN) by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in 2008. Chuat is married to Claudia Regina Janting, the daughter of ‘first flying Dayak’ Terrence Janting and Iban recording artiste Pauline Linang. They are blessed with five children.
In the 2016 State Election he gave way for Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas to stand as BN candidate in Bukit Saban where Uggah won handsomely with 5,524 votes (85.66 per cent) to his opponent Noel Changgai Bucking’s 925. When Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Johari Tun Openg announced the list of BN candidate for this 14th General Election (GE14), Robert Lawson Chuat was made the candidate for Betong replacing Uggah who has served seven terms as Betong MP since 1986. He is being challenged by PKR’s Noel Changgai Bucking and Independent candidate Abang Ahmad Abang Suni in a three-corner fight.
This writer has known Chuat and wife since the late 80s. They are a loving and caring couple and on many ocassions are known to have gone out of their ways to help people and individuals in need. Both in Kuching and back to their longhouse in Matop, Betong, Chuat and Regina are always around for weddings, funerals and other occassions to support and lend their helping hands. In a recent publication of a local daily, Chuat was reported as ‘seeing big shoes to fill’ after his name was announced to as BN candidate to succeed Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas in P204 Betong.
“I know there’s a big challenge ahead because P204 has been represented by Datuk Amar Douglas since 1986 where he held various ministerial portfolios. It will be a tough act to follow as evidenced by his success in planning and implementing development transformation programmes in Betong area,” Chuat stressed. Despite the ‘big shoes to fill challenge’ he said he was ready for it and hoped his experience as a two-term state assemblyman would help him to serve better as Member of Parliament.
“My plan is to continue the works left by Datuk Amar Douglas and to plan programmes in line with our state and national agenda as stated in BN manifesto,” he stressed and appealed to the opposition to steer clear from hatred and racism politics. Chuat reminded the people of Betong that only BN has the best formula for the people. “I wish to state that only BN has a proper agenda which is inclusive for all races as well as for both rural and urban communities,” he said according to the newspaper report.
