Elopura rep decides not to defend his seat in next election

SANDAKAN: Sabah Gerakan’s Elopura assemblyman Datuk Au Kam Wah (pic) has announced his decision not to defend his seat in the next election.

Au, who is Sabah Energy Corporation chairman, said he had informed Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman and Gerakan president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong about his decision.

“My decision is to allow for younger, more educated and capable leaders to take over,” said the 54-year-old third-term assemblyman, who won the seat in 2004 on a Sabah Progressive Party ticket but joined Gerakan when SAPP left Barisan Nasional after the 2008 general election.

Au made the announcement here yesterday and said he had proposed Elopura community development leader Chan Tzun Hei, 34, to be the candidate for the Elopura seat.

Au, who is a Gerakan central committee member, said Chan had been working on the ground with the Elopura electorate and would be the best person to replace him.

He said Chan was also the secretary of Sabah Gerakan and a member of the party’s central committee.

Au said he would still be involved in political work after stepping down.

Au, together with another SAPP leader from Sandakan, Datuk Raymond Tan, did not follow the party when it decided to leave Barisan Nasional.

They joined Sabah Gerakan with their two state seats, boosting Gerakan which did not contest in Sabah in 2008.

Tan, who is a Deputy Chief Minister and Tanjung Papat assemblyman, and Au retained their seats on Barisan tickets in the 2013 polls, giving Gerakan its first elected seats in the state since the party expanded to Sabah in 1996.