Multi-horse race in Sandakan as three independents emerge
UPDATED 2.26PM | SANDAKAN POLLS | The Sandakan by-election is looking to become a crowded affair after at least three independent candidates have emerged to contest in Sabah.
The trio who arrived at the nomination centre at SMJK Tiong Hua before the 10am cut-off time are Hamzah Abdullah, Chia Siew Yong and Sulaiman Abdul Samad.
The nominations of all three were later accepted by returning officer Mohamad Hamsan Awang Supain...
UPDATED 10.40AM | SANDAKAN POLLS |The Sandakan by-election is looking to become a crowded affair after at least three independent candidates have emerged to contest in Sabah.
The trio who arrived at the nomination centre at SMJK Tiong Hua before the 10am cut-off time are Hamzah Abdullah, Chia Siew Yong and Sulaiman Abdul Samad.
The nominations of all three were later accepted by returning officer Mohamad Hamsan Awang Supain.
Hamzah, 65, is former Sabah Amanah and PAS chief.
In a statement sent this morning, Amanah stated that Hamzah had sent in his party exit notice yesterday.
“Amanah thanks him for his endless contributions when leading the party in Sabah,” read the statement by Amanah secretary-general Mohd Anuar Mohd Tahir today.
It was previously reported that Hamzah, who contested the Batu Sapi parliamentary seat in GE14 and lost, resigned from his party posts last August, claiming that he was not obtaining the cooperation of several Sabah party members.
Free to contest
In response to Mohd Anuar's statement, Hamzah insisted he had already quit last August but the party did not receive his letter.
“Actually, I have contacted him (Mohd Anuar). Since August 2018, I have quit but they didn't receive (the letter).
“So I texted him again last night, saying there is no question of you expelling me from the party...because I already quit the party since last year.”
He added that since he was no longer an Amanah member, he could contest freely.
Chia, meanwhile, works in the family palm oil business. A political novice, the 46-year-old, however, is the adviser for NGO Suara Rakyat. This is not to be mistaken for human rights NGO Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram).
Chia said he wants to be an independent voice in Parliament.
By carrying many campaign posters, his team is better organised than the major opposition party Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), he added.
The third independent candidate is Sulaiman, 36. He served as an administrative assistant for the late Sandakan MP Stephen Wong.
Sulaiman: I understand local issues
He told Malaysiakini that his work with the late incumbent would aid him in his campaign.
"I know the problems with local Islamic development," he said.
Asked why he was going against his former boss' party, Sulaiman claimed he is qualified to be an MP.
“I did not hold any grudge with the late (Stephen's) family. I respected him but I am called to contest because I think I am qualified for the seat,” he said, adding that he understood the local issues better.
The three will be facing DAP's Vivian Wong Shir Yee and Parti Bersatu Sabah's Linda Tsen.
Vivian, 30, is also Wong's youngest daughter and had served as his special officer.
Meanwhile, Tsen was the former Batu Sapi MP, having won the seat in a 2010 by-election following the death of her husband, the incumbent lawmaker Edmund Chong, in an accident.
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