Shafie: Anyone can contest but…
Published on: Monday, December 09, 2019
By: Sherell Jeffrey
KOTA KINABALU: Anyone can contest in an election but what’s important is whether he or she or the party can deliver a win, says Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
Commenting on a suggestion by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Sabah to consider a Bersatu candidate for the coming Kimanis parliamentary by-election, the Warisan President said:
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“It’s up to them. Anyone can ask, we will decide who will contest.”
“Anybody can contest, the important thing is whether he or she can win. There is no point in placing someone or party…what is important is to deliver a victory,” he said after officiating the Regatta Lami-Lami 2019 at Kg Kesuapan in Pulau Gaya, here, Sunday.
On whether there would be a discussion on the matter between Warisan and Bersatu, Shafie said he has asked Datuk Christina Liew (Sabah Pakatan Harapan Chairman) to chair a meeting.
“She will see the Chairman of Bersatu Sabah and they will discuss with me,” he said.
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Shafie said it is important to work hard, adding one cannot be too proud or complacent.
“Putting a candidate, putting a party, we can distribute seats anywhere. In the last general election, we had given seats to many, but in the end there was no victory.
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“What is important is when there is a seat, we can win. It is important that the candidate can bring victory,” he said.
On Saturday, Bersatu Sabah Election and Strategy Director Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin, in a statement, suggested that Warisan, which is allied to Pakatan Harapan (PH), should discuss about the possible contenders for Kimanis with PH component parties to arrive at a consensus.
Meanwhile, Bersatu Sabah hopes the PH central leadership will consider its candidate for the coming Kimanis by-election.
Bersatu Sabah Secretary Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee said Kimanis is one of the most active divisions with many outreach programmes conducted since Bersatu set up its base in the State.
“Bersatu is one the biggest PH component parties in Sabah and has second largest number of MPs after Warisan.
“To display Bersatu’s strength in the State, particularly in Kimanis, the PH leadership should give the chance to Bersatu to contest in the seat in the by-election this time around,” he said in a statement, Sunday.
He said Bersatu Sabah Chief Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor had also conveyed the same request to Prime Minister and party Chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during their recent meeting.
However, Kiandee said Sabah Bersatu would accept any decision made by the central Pakatan leadership.
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“Whoever is decided as the candidate by the central PH leadership to contest in Kimanis by-election, we will accept and support,” he said.
On Dec 2, the Federal Court upheld the Election Court’s ruling on Aug 16 that Datuk Seri Anifah Aman’s victory in the Kimanis parliamentary seat in the 14th general election in May last year, was null and void, thus paving the way for a by-election in the constituency.