KUDAT: Love knows no boundary and also not merely dependent on youthful looks.

In fact not only men prefer youthful partners, girls or women now also prefer more matured or older life-partners.

Their argument when asked is that youthful or younger male partners tend to lose control of their emotion and can easily get entangled with more attractive, demure and younger girls or women later on in their life.

Their tendency to be unfaithful is the main cause of concern for most young girls or women.

Recently, in Kampung Barambangon, a marriage reception was held to fete the arrival of the bride to the bridegroom’s home. The bride was from Kampung Ronggu, a countryside village 20km from Matunggong. The distance between Kampung Barambangon and Kampung Ronggu is about 35km.

The newly-married couple are Datuk Mathius Majihi, 58 and 20-year-old Rinah John. The tying of the nuptial is testifying to the change in perception and view of young girls or women towards older men.

For Mathius, this is his third marriage but for Rinah it is her first, a marriage that she ardently hopes to be everlasting and happy.

“For me, I adore and love Datuk Mathius because of his sincerity towards me.

“For the past one year of having known him, I really feet at ease and happy whenever we are together. His commitment and sincerity towards me culminated in us being wedded together as one,” said Rinah.

She added that she did not care that he was a divorcee and has eight children from his two previous marriages.

Mathius, in return said that he really loved Rinah and prayed to God that his marriage would be everlasting.

“My two previous marriages, which failed and crashed to the rocks, had made me more mature and taught me to be more caring, loving and sympathetic to one another,” he said.

Many still remember Mathius as one of the pillars of Parti Bersatu Sabah’s (PBS) success and achievement during the PBS rule while in the opposition camp in mid-1980s and early 1990s. For all his dedication, contribution and hard work he was awarded the Justice of Peace (JP).

Both as a leader and an ordinary village folk, Mathius is outstanding. Most of the village folk in Matunggong described him as ‘second-to-none’ in his achievement for the people while he was their assemblyman during the era of PBS administration.

Mogunji Magawai, 56, of Kampung Tinukadan, Matunggong, not only has high respect for him as a government leader and minister in his heydays, but also as an ordinary citizen.

“He is liked by most people because of his personality, approachability and helpfulness,” said Mogunji.

Even though a notch high in profile compared to others, everyone was his friend, who could converse with him freely on every topic even on the sidewalk, he added.

The opinions of several people when asked about Mathius was that they would like him to be their future assemblyman in the next election. He is currently the Matunggong Upko chairman. Even while only heading a division of a coalition component party in Matunggong, he had contributed a lot in terms of his aspiration, vision and in strengthening the government election machinery in the area.

He advised the public transport operators in Kudat, “Don’t raise your fares during this time of fuel hike. Be considerate to the poor passengers. Don’t pass your vengeance to your poor consumers. Do try to negotiate with the government for a reasonable subsidy. I am sure the federal government will take note, and don’t try to blackmail the government.

“The government has its reasons for hiking the prices of petrol and diesel, and they would find ways to help the poor villagers as well as the lower income groups. A census and study should be carried out with the help of Village Security and Development Committees (JKKKs). All poor people with families should be given cash aid to help them ride over the hardship,” said Mathius.