Four Sabah Parliamentary, State Seats set to be focus of attention
KOTA KINABALU, April 29 (Bernama) -- At least four parliamentary and four state seats in Sabah are expected to attract the attention of voters and political observers in this 14th general election (GE14).
The parliamentary seats are Semporna, Kimanis, Sepanggar and Batu Sapi, while state seats include Senallang, Tambunan, Kiulu and Sindumin.
In the Semporna parliamentary constituency former UMNO Vice-President Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, who is now Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) President will be challenged by Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate who is Bugaya state seat incumbent Datuk Ramlee Marahaban.
In GE13, Mohd Shafie defended the Semporna parliamentary seat under BN's ticket with 20,905 majority votes.
According to political analyst and senior lecturer of Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Dr Lee Kuok Tiung, the political scenario in Sabah has changed with the emergence of the party led by Mohd Shafie who was formerly a senior federal minister.
"Although Semporna is a BN stronghold, I foresee an intense fight in this election because Mohd Shafie has been Semporna MP for five terms and this will be a challenge for the BN," he told Bernama here today.
Lee said that the Kimanis parliamentary seat would also be interesting to watch as BN candidate Datuk Seri Anifah Aman would be facing Warisan candidate Datuk Karim Bujang, a political veteran who is incumbent of Bongawan state seat, one of the two state seats under the Kimanis parliamentary constituency.
In GE13, Anifah won the Kimanis parliamentary seat with a majority of 5,723 votes.
Lee said the two politicians had never been defeated in previous general elections and this is the first time they would be challenging each other.
For the Sepanggar parliamentary seat, Lee said a fierce fight was expected between BN's Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan and Warisan Wira Chief Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman as both contenders are considered as outsiders.
"Abdul Rahman is from Tuaran, while Mohd Azis is from Semporna," he said
Elaborating Lee said the Batu Sapi parliamentary seat was also considered a hot seat because BN's candidate Datuk Linda Tsen Thau Lin would be challenged by former Deputy Minister Datuk V.K Liew of Warisan, who was also former President of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Lee said Liew had also been Sandakan MP before he lost the seat to DAP in GE13, however, Linda managed to defend the Batu Sapi parliamentary seat in GE13, with 3,798 majority votes.
Meanwhile, Lee also foresees a close fight for Senallang state seat where Mohd Shafie would be challenged by his cousin Datuk Seri Nasir Tun Sakaran who is defending the seat.
In GE13 Nasir won the Senallang seat with a majority of 5,909 votes for the BN.
Lee said this should be interesting to watch as the contest would see Mohd Shafie contesting in a state seat for the first time.
According to Lee, the public would also be focusing on Tambunan which is set to become a battlefield between two siblings, BN's candidate who is Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) President Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan and younger brother Datuk Dr Jeffery Kitingan, representing Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star).
In the last election, Pairin won the Tambunan state seat with a majority of 2,079 votes.
Another interesting contest to look out for would be the battle between law graduate Jo-Anna Sue Henley Rampas, who was former Unduk Ngadau (Sabah Harvest Festival) queen, representing Warisan against former Sabah Journalists Association President, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, who won the Kiulu state seat in GE13 with a 44-majority vote.
"In the Sindumin state constituency the contest will be between two political veterans, namely BN's Datuk Sapawi Ahmad who is also Sipitang parliamentary seat incumbent and former Sipitang MP Dr Yusof Yacob of Warisan," he said.
In GE13, Datuk Ahmad Bujang won the Sindumin state seat with a majority of 4,323 votes.
-- BERNAMA
