An opposition voice is truly needed in Sabah, say two rival opposition parties, Keadilan and DAP, and that is why both are rushing to stake a claim in the state via the Gaya parliamentary by-election which will be held on Oct 12.

An example of how the mere idea of an opposition force can work for the people as a check against local government excesses, was the latter's recent decision to review the "exorbitant" parking rates imposed on the capital city of Kota Kinabalu since June. Residents say the review would not have come about were it not for the Gaya by-election.

"If the Barisan Nasional government really cares for the people's livelihood and speaks for the people as it claims to, why ignore the people's 15,000-odd signatures in a petition to reduce the rates?" asked one dissatisfied resident who requested anonymity.

"Why not announced the reduction of rates immediately after the public outcry? Why wait till now?" he added.

In fact, the Kota Kinabalu City Hall announced in June that the rates at 20 sen for the first half-hour, 50 sen for the next and RM2 for subsequent half-hours would stay despite protests from various organisations and individuals.

Not opposition's doing

However, City Hall director-general Dr Chua Kim Heng stressed that the latest development did not stem from the issue being raised in the ongoing Gaya by-election campaigns, but from earlier feedback from various parties.

Furthermore, Chua said, not all the comments received from the public were against the new rates.

The BN candidate for the Gaya by-election, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) vice president Liew Teck Chan, also dismissed the opposition's claim to have effected this turn of events.

Liew, 54, said Sabah Chief Minister Chong Kah Kiat had instructed City Hall to review the parking fees in the city because of a petition from BN component parties; not pressure from the opposition.

Still, Keadilan candidate Christina Liew contended that, if the BN representatives in the government had enough clout in the first place, Kota Kinabalu residents would not have to put up with the 'nightmarish' parking fee for the past four months.

"If not because of this by-election, do you really think that the government will even consider reviewing the parking fees?" challenged Christina, 50, who is a lawyer.

"The people really need an opposition (representative). BN members of Parliament or state assembly representatives have been unable to play their role effectively," she added.

Torn between two

While that point continues to be debatable, Gaya voters are faced with an additional dilemma: Which party Keadilan or DAP is able to fill the 'political vacuum' that Parti Bersatu Sabah is said to have left behind when it rejoined the ruling front this year?

According to an opposition detractor, Sabah Umno deputy chairperson Salleh Said, while Keadilan had admitted it was not a Malay-based party, DAP had always been known as a one-race party.

Keadilan supreme council Ng Lum Yong, who is in Sabah to campaign for Christina, argued however that Keadilan should be the choice of the people as it has a strong base in the state, with 14 new branches and 7,500 votes, compared with DAP which has only two branches.

"Win or lose, we are going ahead and will continue to fight for the people of Sabah. We are here not only for elections," Ng claimed.

On Monday, DAP candidate Dr Hiew King Cheu, 50, said in local broadsheet Daily Express that the party had proven itself in championing the cause of the people and as such Gaya voters should give it a chance to represent them.

Both parties appear to be banking on the votes of Chinese Malaysians.

There are 19,122 (38.69 percent) Chinese Malaysian voters in the Gaya electorate, followed by 16,463 (33.3 percent) non-Muslim bumiputra, 10,699 (21.64 percent) Malay bumiputra, 394 (0.8 percent) Indian Malaysians and 2,749 (5.56 percent) other Malaysians.

A large number of the Chinese Malaysian voters are believed to be 'silent' ones and highly unpredictable.

Keadilan is also trying its luck to sway disgruntled Kadazandusuns, many of whom have previously thrown their full support behind PBS when it was an opposition party.

The Gaya seat fell vacant following the disqualification last month of its member of Parliament, SAPP president and the state's former chief minister Yong Teck Lee, for an election offence.