Sabahans need independent voice, say candidates

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Nobert (second from left), Richard (middle), Hiew (second from right) and Marcel Jude (right) at the press conference.

KOTA KINABALU (Nov 14): The people of Sabah have been urged to give independent candidates a chance to speak for them in parliament.

Lawyer Marcel Jude Joseph who is contesting as an independent candidate for the Kota Kinabalu parliament seat in the 15th General Election (GE15), said an independent candidate has the voice to say what the people want to say.

He also said that it is important to have the right people in parliament.

“Sabah and Sarawak have special privileges. No kids know about it. Laws are there but no one knows … our MPs (parliament members) don’t know our rights anymore. We need the right people in parliament.

It is better to have one independent voice than none,” he said.

He added that as parliamentarians, the candidates elected must be able to influence the public and voice out issues that are coming from Sabah such as the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the standard of living of the people in Sabah which is worsening.

“No one is voicing it out. You need an independent voice,” he said during a press conference on Monday.
The independent candidate for Penampang, Richard Jimmy, described his opponents in the GE15 for the constituency as failed YBs.

“They don’t do their work,” claimed Richard on Warisan candidate Datuk Darell Leiking, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah’s (GRS) Kenny Chua and Pakatan Harapan’s Datuk Ewon Benedick.

He said that the voters in Penampang do not want parties from Malaya.

And as for Darell, Richard said that although Warisan talks about the Borneo Bloc, the party president is setting up branches everywhere.

Richard also mentioned issues that were dear to his heart, namely, for the fulfilment of years-long promise to have a full-fledged hospital for the constituency; to solve the flooding problem in the area; and for economic growth.

Papar candidate, Norbert Chin, who is also contesting as an independent, urged voters to give the independent candidates the voice to voice out for Sabah and Sabahans for the lack of attention by the Federal Government on development projects such as flood mitigation schemes, unsealed roads and other development projects which are needed by the people of Sabah.

“With the RM5.2 billion allocated to Sabah under the Budget, compared to RM29 billion for other states in West Malaysia, it is hardly enough to meet the needs for infrastructure developments in Sabah.

“The 25 parliamentary seats contested by BN-GRS out of the 222 are not enough for them to form the Federal Government and what the BN-GRS can do is to support their masters in Kuala Lumpur,” said Nobert.

He added that being independent candidates, they are not affiliated to any political parties from Kuala Lumpur and the voices that are given to them are not controlled by anyone, and they will speak without fear or favour.

“Apart from voicing out on development projects, I will also voice out other issues, such as for self determination and autonomy for Sabah, for equal distribution of wealth such as giving opportunities to all Malaysians to fill up government appointments and I favour the ‘4-4-2’ formula or else the best qualified person to fill up the vacancy,” he said.

Also present was Datuk Hiew King Cheu, the former Kota Kinabalu MP.