Improving basic needs of Sidam folk

SUNGAI PETANI: Tackling bread-and-butter issues in the small town of Sidam will be the main task for newly-elected assemblyman Bau Wong Bau Ek, one of the few Malaysian-Thai lawmakers in the country.

He has also promised to improve the basic necessities, the infrastructure and the Internet connection for the people in the area.

“Some roads are in poor condition. Also, the Internet connection is lacking in certain areas here.

“Low water pressure is also a big problem that most residents complained about.

“These are the issues that I have in mind and would like to resolve for the people,” he said.

The 57-year-old from PKR is no stranger to the constituency, having served as a special officer to former Sungai Petani MP Tan Sri Johari Abdul from 2008 to 2022 as well as to the current MP Mohammed Taufiq Johari.

On Aug 12, Bau Wong won the seat after beating Perikatan Nasional’s Juliana Abdul Ghani with a 954-vote majority.

He was among the three assemblymen from Pakatan Harapan who survived the “green wave” in Kedah.

The other two are DAP’s Teh Swee Leong (Kota Darul Aman) and PKR’s Adam Loh (Bakar Arang).

“I was over the moon upon being told that I had won the seat. But I was immediately brought down to earth upon learning that Pakatan only won a few seats in the state election.

“My victory would be more meaningful if Pakatan had formed the state government,” he said.

Despite being the first assemblyman from the Siamese community, Bau Wong has vowed to look beyond race and religion.

He said there were only about 300 members of the Siamese community living in the area, with the majority of the voters being Malay as well as a sizeable number of Chinese and Indians.

“The Sidam constituency is considered a semi-urban area. There are also those living in rural areas.

“The well-being of the people will be my priority, regardless of race and religion.

“I’ll work closely, not only with the Federal Government, but also with the PAS-led state government,” he added.

Bau Wong, who hails from Kampung Olak Madu in Sidam Kiri, joined PKR in 2008. He is married with two children.