SANDAKAN: After a week of campaigning, the poster and bunting wars are scarce despite the anticipation in the Sandakan parliamentary by-election.
Only a number of areas were ‘decorated’ with election paraphernalia.
In Kampung Sim-Sim, for instance, the only visible images were those of DAP candidate, Vivian Wong Shir Yee and Parti Bersatu Sabah’s (PBS) Datuk Linda Tsen Thau Lin while in Bandar Letat, the posters were of independent candidate Chia Siew Yung.
Kampung Sim-Sim resident Rohani Mohd Ismail, 28, said the candidates’ house-to-house approach was probably more effective to woo voters.
“Over here (Sim-Sim) the buntings appear numerous as this is just a village, and the candidates are campaigning smoothly,” she told Bernama.
Meanwhile, voter Abdul Hamid Fattah, 40, said the winning candidate should make it a priority to create employment opportunities for the constituents.
“We are not asking for money, just employment for our graduates who are still jobless,” he said.
Other than DAP and PBS, three independents are in the fray including former Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) Sabah chairman Hamzah Abdullah and former Sandakan parliamentary constituency service centre administrative assistant Sulaiman Abdul Samat.
The Sandakan parliamentary constituency comprises two state seats, Tanjong Papat and Elopura with 40,131 voters including 270 early voters, and five absentee voters who are overseas.
The Election Commission has fixed May 7 for early voting and May 11 for the poll. - Bernama
