KOTA KINABALU: A keen free-for-all fights are shaping up between the Barisan Nasional (BN) and the Opposition as leaders from the State BN component expressed confidence of repeating their 2008 outstanding feat of making a virtual clean sweep of all the seats up for grabs on May 5 polling day.
Going into the polls with a landslide victory of 59 state and 24 parliamentary seats in the last general election, all the chiefs of the Sabah BN component parties are being challenged in the respective seats as the ruling coalition faces its fiercest ever election in the country’s political history.
A total of 262 candidates are contesting for the 60 state seats and 95 candidates for the 25 parliamentary seats. None of the candidates contesting was returned unopposed, when nomination results were announced before mid-day yesterday.
Most of the state and parliamentary seats saw multi-cornered fights, except for Sandakan constituency – the only seat showcasing a straight-fight between BN and DAP. The Senallang state and Kalabakan parliamentary seats attracted the biggest number with seven candidates each.
Chief Minister cum Sabah BN chairman Datuk Seri Musa Aman, who is once again entrusted to steer the State BN to yet another thumping victory, is tied in a five-cornered fight with PKR’s Irwansah Mustapha, AM Jaafar @ Damaid Juana (SAPP), Mohd Roslan Yussof (STAR) and Independent Mohd Arshad Abdul in defending his Sungai Sibuga seat.
Another incumbent BN heavyweight, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, who is Umno vice-president, is being challenged by Zamree @ Mohd Suffian Abdul Habi of PKR and Datu Badaruddin, the son of the late Tun Datu Mustapha Datu Harun, the founder of the now defunct USNO, for the Semporna parliamentary seat.
On the north west coast in Usukan, another Umno stalwart former Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Mohd Salleh Tun Said, who is making a comeback, is involved in a three-way tussle with Mustapha @ Mohd Yunus Makmud (PKR) and Bakhruddin Ismail from STAR Sabah.
Over in Tambunan, a tough fight awaits another BN heavyweight Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, who represented the constituency since 1976. He is facing Wilfred Win Ponil from (PKR-APS), Nestor Joannes (STAR) and two Independent candidates Francis Koh and Justin Yonsoding in defending his seat.
In his quest to defend the Keningau parliamentary seat, Pairin who is also PBS president, is involved in a three-cornered tussle with his younger brother Datuk Dr Jeffrey, the chairman of STAR Sabah Chapter which is going for 48 state and 21 parliamentary seats, and Stephen Sandor from PKR.
Another PBS strongman, BN incumbent Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili is challenged by APS deputy chairman Datuk Maijol Mahap (PKR-APS), Majamis Timbong (STAR) and SAPP’s Yuntau Kolod @ Kuntau Kolod.
A keen fight also awaits UPKO president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok in a three-cornered fight with lawyer Ignatius Darell Leiking, the PKR assistant secretary-general, and a woman candidate Melania @ Melanie Annol from STAR Sabah in defending his Penampang seat.
Meanwhile, UPKO secretary-general Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau is entrusted to wrest the Tuaran parliament seat from former UPKO deputy president Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Bumburing, who stands under PKR-APS ticket, Samin @ Jasmin Dulin (STAR) and lawyer Ervenna Ansari Ali, who is contesting as an Independent. Interestingly, Ervenna is the daughter of PKR Tuaran chief Haji Ansari Abdullah, who has been sidelined by party’s leadership.
A strong fight is shaping up in the interior where Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup is defending the Pensiangan parliamentary seat which he won uncontested in 2008. This time he is involved in a four-cornered tussle with corporate figure Datuk Dr Richard Sakian Gunting (PKR), lawyer Martin Tommy (STAR) and another Independent woman candidate Fatimah Agitor @ Mohd Daud.
On the east coast in Sandakan, LDP president Datuk VK Liew, who won the Chinese-majority seat in 2008 with a slim-majority, is the only BN heavyweight involved in a straight-fight with local opposition leader Wong Tien Fatt @ Wong Nyuk Foh from (PR-DAP).
In Kapayan, Sabah MCA chief Datuk Edward Khoo is involved in a tough four-cornered fight with Sabah DAP secretary Dr Edwin Bosi, a veterinary doctor who garnered more than 10,000 votes despite losing to Dompok in Penampang in 2008, Kapayan-born SAPP information chief Chong Pit Fah and businessman Philip Among @ Daniel Dell Fedelis of STAR Sabah.
Elsewhere, the rest of the BN candidates are involved in multi-cornered fights with candidates from Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance of PKR (plus APS and PPPS), DAP and PAS, as well as the MUPP and KITA as well as Independent candidates in this “mother of all elections”.
According to the Election Commission (EC), only one candidate for the state seat of Tanjong Batu was disqualified.
This time the candidates are a combination of newcomers, young and old coming from various backgrounds from corporate figures to veteran politicians, ex-teachers and former civil servants to community leaders.
And with the participation of more women, from the BN and Opposition, the overall atmosphere during the election this time around is expected to be even more challenging for both BN and Opposition.
Despite the presence of “noisy” supporters from both BN and Opposition sides at nomination centres statewide, the police have not received any serious untoward incident and declared the nomination processes as incident-free.
In the BN coalition, Sabah Umno is contesting 14 parliamentary and 32 state seats; PBS (four parliamentary and 13 state seats), UPKO (four parliament and six state seats), LDP (one parliamentary and four state seats), PBRS (one parliament and one state seat), Gerakan and MCA (two state seats each).
On the Opposition side, apart from Dr Jeffrey, SAPP’s Datuk Yong Teck Lee, PKR’s Ahmad Thamrin Jaini and DAP’s Jimmy Wong are also involved in multi-cornered fights.
Yong, who is making a comeback to his traditional Likas seat, is facing newcomers Ho Cheong Tshun (STAR) and Wong Hong Jun (DAP), and BN’s Chin Shu Ying of LDP who is tasked with wresting the seat back won by Datuk Liew Teck Chan under the BN ticket in 2008.
Ahmad Thamrin is involved in a three-way fight with BN incumbent Datuk Zakaria Mohd Idris and STAR’s Hassan Hami @ Hamid for the Gum Gum state seat.
Jimmy, who decided not to defend his Sri Tanjong state seat, is challenged by BN’s Chin Tek Ming and Michael Liew Hock Leong (STAR) for the Kota Kinabalu parliamentary seat. Jimmy replaced DAP incumbent Hiew King Cheu who won the predominantly-Chinese constituency by a slim-majority of 106 in 2008.
The widely talked-about “pact” among the Opposition parties in staging a one-to-one fight with the BN failed. Just like in the 2008 general election, this time they are not only fighting against the BN but also amongst themselves.
Bumburing, who is APS chairman, contesting in Tuaran, is also tied in a five-cornered tussle for the state seat of Tamparuli with BN incumbent Datuk Jahid Jahim, Linggu @ Edward Bukut (STAR), Stephen Gaimin (SAPP) and Independent James Ongkili Jr.
PPPS chairman Datuk Seri Panglima Lajim Ukin, who quit BN along with Bumburing and aligned themselves to PKR headed by de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, is involved in a three-cornered fight in defending his Beaufort parliamentary seat against Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun of BN and STAR secretary-general Guan Dee Bin Koh Hoi.
Lajim is also facing a strong fight for the Klias state seat from BN new face Isnin Aliasnih @ Liansih, Aliapa Osman (STAR) and Mohd Sanusi Taripin (SAPP).