KINABATANGAN: It is no easy task for any candidate campaigning for the Kinabatangan parliamentary seat, with the main obs­tacle being reaching voters living in villages scattered along the hilly terrain of the Crocker Range. Kampung Kuamut, in the upper reaches of Kinabatangan River, remains accessible only by boats which could take about six hours from Kinabatangan town. Barisan Nasional’s Mohd Naim Kurniawan Moktar also said the biggest challenge in reaching voters across polling districts is distance and logistics. “That is why I strongly support the realignment of the Kinaba­ta­ngan constituency, so representation can be more focused, more effective and fair to every community,” he said. Spanning an area roughly half the size of Pahang, the biodiversity-rich Kinabatangan constituency lacks proper roads and basic infrastructure such as electricity and piped water in many of its far-flung villages.

Source: The Star January 14, 2026 09:50 UTC