CHIEF Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor said the sudden huge surge in new voters in Sabah numbering 574,120 within just four years cannot be taken lightly.
Hajiji, who is also Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) Chairman, noted that these new voters were mostly registered as “Malays” but may not be from this State or the peninsula.
He said the matter needs to be clarified by the Election Commission (EC) because it is not something that can be taken lightly.
“This cannot be taken lightly. Others will come to our area later. We don’t want people to get power from the ballot box this way, that’s why we made a report with the relevant parties,” he said.
Hajiji said the matter was discussed in the State Cabinet last Wednesday (Oct 19) and is awaiting explanations by the EC and the National Registration Department (NRD) on Tuesday (Oct 25).
“The jump in the number of new voters in the latest voter register issued by the EC in all parliamentary constituencies in Sabah is doubtful.
“There is something that doubts us and we discussed it at the Cabinet level. We have asked for an explanation from the EC and NRD directors,” he said when launching the GRS Tenom Election Machinery in conjunction with the Jelajah GRS Programme at Datuk Seri Panglima Antanom hall in Tenom on Oct 22.
Also present were Deputy Chief Minister and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) President Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) President Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili, United Sabah National Organisation (Usno) President Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia and Kemabong Assemblyman Datuk Rubin Balang, who is also the GRS Tenom Coordinator.
Based on the latest voter register issued by the EC, Sabah now has 1.68 million voters compared to 1.1 million in 2018, which is an increase of 53.9 per cent.
The electoral register gazetted last July showed that the Sepanggar Parliament recorded the highest number of voters with 107,463 followed by Lahad Datu (99,741) and Tawau (87,189).
Meanwhile, Hajiji announced that the State Government would release some land in the Sabah Forest Industries (SFI) area to be used as a village reserve for the people.
“We will remove the land to ensure that our people who live in the SFI area get a gazetted village area for their children,” he said.
Hajiji also urged Sabahans to reject the opposition, especially Warisan and its cronies in the 15th General Election (GE15).
“Vote for the GRS candidate so that we can do our best in the struggle to defend the rights and interests of the people and Sabah. So that we can fulfil the aspirations of the people.
“Show through the vote that the people of Sabah are aware and can unite in GRS. The people must support and vote for GRS candidates so that we can win brilliantly in GE15,” he stressed.
At the event, Hajiji received more than 1,000 Warisan and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) supporters who switched to supporting GRS in Tenom.
