KOTA KINABALU: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidate for Api-Api state seat, Christina Liew, was surprised at incumbent Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai’s statement saying that it is a tough fight for him in this election.
Yee’s statement showed that he had not been doing his work as the people’s elected representative for Api-Api for the last five years, Liew said in a statement here yesterday.
“Datuk Yee is the incumbent and also the Deputy Chief Minister. He has the resources and institution backing him as a minister.
“If he had served his constituency well, he does not have to worry. The people of KK know who is a hardworking wakil rayat and who is a ‘Yes Man’ of Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) only,” she said.
Liew added it is now time for a report card to be evaluated by the people, instead of saying it is an uphill fight as he (Yee) had the power to help.
“His statement makes him look like he is trying to fish for sympathy votes. Bearing in mind the bonus of 4,000 ‘imported’ voters into Api-Api is another reason for him not to worry.
“It is me, the PKR candidate, who is having the uphill fight because of our limited resources and manpower. But we believe the people are with us. Their desire for change is strong. Only with their support will Pakatan Rakyat win. No tricks. We win with our hard work and clean record only,” added Liew.
The Borneo Post on Wednesday quoted Yee as saying that BN might risk losing its supporters in the five-cornered tussle for the Api-Api state seat.
He said Api-Api was the hardest seat in the whole state as he had to face four challengers, pointing out that the different political parties fighting against him might take away BN supporters, rather than splitting the opposition’s votes and giving him an advantage.
“I’m surrounded by four people who want me dead. How can that be an advantage?” he said after gracing the Anzac memorial service at Jalan Tugu here Wednesday.
Yee is defending his seat against Liew of PKR, SAPP’s Datuk Wong Yit Ming, Dr Felix Chong Kat Fah of STAR and independent Marcel Jude A/L MS Joseph.
He has been the state assemblyman for Api-Api for three terms since 1999.
In the last general election, he obtained 3,419 votes against Liew who polled 3,245 votes for PKR.