Let Warisan keep Bugaya uncontested – Guan Eng

KOTA KINABALU: DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has urged Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Hajiji Noor to let Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) win the Bugaya state seat uncontested following the death of its incumbent on Tuesday.

The Bagan MP said this would prevent an unnecessary election contest that would raise the risk of spreading Covid-19.

“Allowing Warisan to win Bugaya uncontested would prove to the rakyat that Hajiji is committed to battling and overcoming Covid-19 threat together with all parties,” he said in a statement yesterday.

The 65-year-old Bugaya incumbent, Manis Muka Mohd Darah, was reported to have died at the Gleneagles hospital here after being admitted for kidney problems. A by-election has to be held within 60 days to determine her successor.

Lim who expressed DAP's condolences to Warisan and the family of Manis Muka, said she was a popular politician who had retained her seat with a 6,005-vote majority in the recent Sabah state election.

Manis Muka had garnered a total of 8,557 votes against six opponents from Perikatan Nasional, Parti Cinta Sabah, United Sabah National Organisation, Sabah People's Unity Party and two independents.

“The new Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor should respect the mandate of the voters in Bugaya in the recent state general elections and put public health and safety over electioneering in the coming by-election.

“As a Covid-19 positive patient himself, Hajiji clearly knows the danger posed by Covid-19 infections following the Sabah state general election,” said Lim.

He added that the chief minister, who had just recovered from the virus, should put the “rakyat” first over politics.

“The people of Sabah should not be exposed to another election campaign after they were forced to go to the polls following a dishonest attempt to force a change of government in Sabah through money politics and attempted buying of assemblymen,” he said.