INCUMBENT
Dato Sri Dr Muhammad Leo Toyad (BN-PBB)
Last 05 May, 2013 Election Result:
1. Dato Sri Dr Muhammad
Leo Toyad (BN-PBB) 14,983 votes
2. Hal Bin Merawin (PR-DAP) 2,219 votes
3. Sylvester Ajah Subah (IND) 2,219 votes
Majority: 12,764 votes
THE incumbent for Mukah Parliamentary Constituency, Dato Sri Dr Muhammad Leo Toyad (BN-PBB), retained the seat with a majority of 12,764 votes in the 13th General Election in 2013. He defeated the DAP candidate, Hai Merawin and an Independent candidate, Sylvester Ajah Subah.
The 63 year old Dr Toyad, who won the seat for the eighth consecutive term, garnered 14,983 votes while Hai and Ajah coincidently received 2219 votes each. There are three state seats under this parliamentary constituency namely, Tellian, Balingian and Dalat which are represented by Yussibnosh Balo, Abdul Yakub Haji Arbi and Dato Sri Hajah Fatimah Abdullah respectively.
Tellian (new state constitutuency) Most areas in this constituency are under Mukah District, with a small part in Dalat District. The implementation of Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) has effectively transformed Mukah into one of the most progressives regions in the State’s central region.
With Mukah as the administrative centre for Sarawak’s tenth division as well as the administrative centre for SCORE, many developments are expected in this Umai Town.
Two of the three nodes or growth areas are in Mukah Division – Mukah District (Central Node) and Tanjung Manis (Southern Node). Home to RECODA (Regional Corridor of Development Authority) and the administrative base for SCORE, Mukah will be a smart city in the years to come.
It will also be a centre for human capital and research development to support the long-term sustainability of SCORE. Mukah now has one hospital, an airport which is still under-construction, a sports complex, 3-star hotels and seven major banks – Maybank, Bank Rakyat, Public Bank, Agro Bank, Bank Simpanan Nasional, Hong Leong Bank and RHB Bank.
It has several institutions of higher learning including UiTM Mukah Campus, Mukah Polytechnic, Sarawak Skills Development Centre (PPKS) and Giat Mara.
The district also has three secondary schools – SMK Three Rivers, SMK Mukah and SMK St Patrick. The most imposing buildings in town are the Menara Pehin Setia Raja and the RECODA Building. Apart from the many commercial and industrial activities, Mukah is also well known for the Kaul Festival.
The hugely popular traditional event which attracts vistors from within Malaysia as well as from overseas is getting bigger all the time. As the nerve centre of the SCORE project which is expected to bring in a massive investment of RM200b by 2030, the district is poised to reap tremendous economic benefits in the next one or two decades.
Balingian Like neigbouring Tellian, this constituency banks on SCORE as its ultimate development machinery to spur development in the rural areas. The commercial centres are the Old Balingian Bazaar (wooden shophouses built on stilt) located on the bank of the Balingian River and the concrete shophouses at the New Township which is about a kilometre away.
The old concept of 3Ps (Plantation, Education, Tourism) adopted by the BN government decades ago had effectively transformed the area. The completion of the Selangau- Matadeng Road, the Balingian Bridge and the Yellow Bridge has improved its connectivity greatly with other parts of the State.
The area is blessed with two mega economic spinning projects – Press Metal Sarawak (Aluminium Smelting Plant) and Mukah Power Generation (Coal Fired Power Station) – which are considered the most significant fruits of SCORE.
Balingian is also endowed with natural resources like coal, which augurs well with the aspiration of this sub-district to become a heavy industrial area along with Samalaju in Bintulu Division. The fertility of the land has also encouraged the development of oil palm estates, which is a major agricultural activity in the area.
The recently launched Mukah Biomass Power Plant, expected to be commissioned in 2017, will be an added boost for the palm oil industry. Under the SCORE agenda, the State government is constantly creating opportunities to ensure that the local young and talented graduates as well as skilled and semi-skilled workers have a bright future. Hence, locals are a priority in the recruitment process. Dalat Dalat was declared a district on April 2 1974.
Formerly under Sibu Division, it is now under Mukah Division after the latter became the tenth division of the State on March 1, 2002. It is chiefly an agro-based district with sago palm, pineapple, oil palm and fruits as the main activities. Besides the agricultural sector, many are also working in the government service or employed by local timber companies. Others are self-employed as fishermen.
Dalat is reputed as the largest producer of sago flour in the world. It has four modern sago factories with a total output of more than 74 tonnes per day. With the presence of various State and Federal Departments, Dalat is poised to be a busy township in the years to come. There are two secondary schools in this district – SMK Dalat and SMK Oya.
Every village has a primary school and there are various early childhood learning centres including Tabika Kemas, Sedidik, Tabika Perpaduan, Chinese Kindergarten and preschool classes in national primary schools. Dalat has a district hospital with excellent physical facilities but sadly, a lack of doctors. It also has a beautiful river front and an outdoor and indoor stadium called Stadium Perpaduan Dalat.
With the completion of the Temenggong Mat Win Bridge which is near the town, plus a good road system, Dalat will become a catalyst for development.
Dalat has its own community broadband centre and is well connected to the outside world through cellular phones and the Internet. Among the projects in store for Dalat are: a Welfare Complex, the phase two waterfront project and the Melanau Heritage Gallery.
