The Malaysian Insight

PAKATAN HARAPAN’S Vivian Wong scored a landslide win in Sandakan tonight with more than 16,000 votes.

She beat out her nearest riva,l Parti Bersatu Sabah’s (PBS) Linda Tsen, who polled 4,491 votes, and three independents Hamzah Abdullah, Sulaiman Abdul Samat and Chia Siew Yung., all of whom lost their deposits.

There are 40,131 registered voters in the parliamentary constituency, of which 39,684 were eligible to cast their votes today.

Early voting was allowed for 270 policemen last Tuesday, and 177 people voted by post.

The win marks the end of Pakatan Harapan’s losing streak at the polls. In recent months, the ruling coalition has lost to Barisan Nasional/Umno in Cameron Highlands, Semenyih and Rantau.

Wong also won in Kampung Sim Sim and Berhala Island, where Malays form the majority of voters and which her late father, Stephen Wong, had trouble penetrating in the previous elections.

The closest contender, Tsen of PBS, is a senior politician whose by-election campaign had the backing of the Sabah opposition, including Umno and PAS. 

DAP had expressed concern over the absence of young Chinese voters, who make up its core support base in the constituency. 

Warisan president Mohd Shafie Apdal had rallied behind PH, however, using his considerable influence to persuade Malay voters to bat for a candidate from DAP.

Meanwhile, Tsen congratulated Wong on her win.

“The voters have chosen and we respect the decision of the voters. We hope DAP will honour all the promises they have made to the people,” Tsen said.

PBS president Maximus Ongkili thanked those who voted for the party candidate and the Sabah opposition who assisted the party in its by-election campaign.

“At the outset, PBS recognised itself as the political underdog given the electoral result for the constituency in the 14th general election,” he said in a statement, tonight.

Ongkili added that PBS will continue the struggle to contribute to national development through the democratic process.

“PBS put up a good figh, but in the end, we could not overcome the might we were facing. God bless Sandakan, Sabah and Malaysia.” – May 11, 2019.