The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) is backing its state counterpart, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) in the Sandakan by-election.
However, SAPP president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee acknowledged that it would be a tough task to dislodge DAP from the seat it has held for three terms since 1978, and since 2013.
TTF: Note, that Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s announcement of 49 development projects worth RM2.28 billion for the Sandakan district just weeks ahead of the upcoming by election is precisely the kind of dirty tactic the DAP used to accuse BN of employing.
It is mind boggling to think that the DAP is using multibillion dollar projects to lure voters and actually believes the people will not notice the hypocrisy.
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) is backing its state counterpart, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) in the Sandakan by-election.
SAPP president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee said that he conveyed his party’s decision to PBS president Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili on Thursday.
“In coordination with other parties of Gabungan Sabah, SAPP will brief our members… (and get them) to campaign and vote for PBS.
“It is widely known that SAPP and PBS have not been on the best of terms over the last 25 years. But since SAPP will support PBS in the interest of Sabah rights, I believe that each and every Malaysian in Sandakan could also support PBS,” he said in a statement here, today.
Yong added that Sabah is now in a post-Barisan Nasional (BN) era and that it is a good sign that the state’s political autonomy is being accepted by more Malaysians outside Sabah.
However, he acknowledged that it would be a tough task to dislodge DAP from the seat it has held for three terms since 1978, and since 2013.
“In view of DAP’s whopping 10,000 vote majority in Sandakan in the last general election, it will be a monumental task to defeat them in the by-election.
“But unfulfilled promises, the arrogance of power, and the incompetence of current (Cabinet) ministers are issues that DAP leaders will have to defend,” Yong said, while also citing the poor state of Sandakan’s economy, high fuel prices, new taxes introduced and the high cost of living faced by locals.
He added that Sandakan residents need to be convinced that they would benefit from the RM2.28 billion financial allocation by the Federal government for projects in the city.
On Tuesday, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng announced 49 development projects worth RM2.28 billion for the Sandakan district, for the wellbeing of its people.
The Sandakan parliamentary seat fell vacant after its incumbent, Datuk Stephen Wong, died of a heart attack on March 28.
In the 14th general election, Wong obtained 19,094 votes, defeating BN candidate Datuk Lim Ming Hoo, who garnered 8,996 votes.
Sandakan has 39,777 registered voters – with ethnic Chinese comprising 49 per cent of constituents, Muslim Bumiputera (44 per cent) and non-Muslim Bumiputera (six per cent).
Source:
