JEMPOL: Barisan Nasional’s (BN) candidate for the Palong state seat, Mustapha Nagoor, has pledged to resolve the issue of housing for second-generation Felda settlers and expedite construction of the Felda Palong 7 health clinic project if he is given a mandate for the third time.
He said housing issues remained a priority as hundreds of second-generation housing units in several Felda settlements in Palong had been left unfinished for years.
“Palong 8 alone still has about 300 homes that have yet to be completed. In Palong 12, more than 350 units have been abandoned, while in Palong 14, 15 and 16, there are still about 100 Sentuhan Kasih Project units that have yet to be completed.
“Housing is a basic necessity. Felda children need a place to live, and this issue cannot be allowed to drag on,” he told FMT during his campaign trail.
Residents have also called for more job opportunities, the acceleration of long-delayed development projects, improvements to healthcare facilities and support for entrepreneurs.
One of the healthcare projects highlighted was the Felda Palong 7 health clinic, which has been stalled since before the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing residents to seek treatment at the Jempol health clinic, about 30km away.
Mustapha said construction of the clinic began in 2018 but was not completed after the original contractor’s services were terminated and a new contractor was appointed.
“I hope the public works department and the health ministry can expedite construction so that the people can enjoy healthcare facilities that are closer and more convenient,” he said.
Confident of increased majority
Mustapha said although he won with a majority of 564 votes in the 2023 state election, he believes the situation will be different this time around due to the cooperation between BN and Perikatan Nasional (PN).
“I believe the majority will increase compared with before.
“Previously, Malay votes were split. This time, BN and PN’s struggles are more aligned, so I believe this gives us an advantage.”
The Palong state seat will see a three-cornered contest in the upcoming state election, with Mustapha facing Pakatan Harapan’s Zahin Zinal Abidin and Bersatu’s Rebin Birham.
