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SABAH SURVEYS | Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein today joined the campaign for Puteri Umno’s only candidate in Sabah, Hazulizah Mohd Dani in the Sekong seat.
The 35-year-old former Special Affairs Department (Jasa) officer under the BN administration faces six other contenders for one of the two state seats under the Batu Sapi parliamentary seat, about 9 km from Sandakan.
“I’m very happy.
“I see the opportunity that is given to a young candidate, a former Jasa officer, and when I see her interactions with the residents, it makes me happy,” Hishammuddin told reporters after Hazulizah’s walk in Kampung Sundang Laut.
“It gives me confidence that, God willing, on the day (of the vote) we will elect her as the new YB (assembly member),” added the deputy from Sembrong.
The town that belongs to the Lupak Meluas voting district, one of the six voting districts in Sekong, and comprises houses built on stilts, connected by concrete and wooden bridges.
The sea below some of the houses is almost completely black, littered with garbage, mud and other unidentifiable debris.
Speaking to reporters, Hazulizah reiterated BN’s commitment to helping more than 3,000 villagers, including addressing long-standing concerns about electricity supply and the state of the land.
“BN is committed to thinking about basic facilities and infrastructure. If we are given the mandate, we will do our best to provide what people need in this area,” Sabah Vice President Puteri Umno said.
Earlier, Hishammuddin addressed more than 100 villagers gathered under a tent in an open field, a vast dusty area with several rows of large blue plastic containers to store the clean water supply.
‘There is no place for racial feelings’
Hishammuddin said there should be no place for ethnic sentiments to be played in Sabah.
“Issues of ethnic sentiment, by right, there should be no place for them in Sabah.
“Ladies and gentlemen, before you, the grandson of Datuk Onn […] Standing before you is the son of Hussein Onn, Father of Unity.
“My presence here today, the grandson of Datuk Onn, son of Hussein Onn, it would be impossible for me to be here to create division or provoke hatred,” he said as he gathered the crowd, mostly descendants of Bajau-Suluk, to support Hasulizah. .
Read more: Sabah Decides 2020: Making sense of players, parties and battles
Hishammuddin also credited the presence of MIC and Kimma allies, as well as Johor Menteri Besar Hasni Mohammad, as a sign of unity in BN.
Hishammuddin’s message today came as opponents of the Warisan Plus alliance stepped up their campaign to paint the acting Warisan government as a party that sympathizes with undocumented immigrants in cities like Sandakan, a message previously only heard in the districts. Kadazan-Dusun-Murut elections.
The message has racial and religious overtones, as the Kadazan-Dusun-Murut community is mostly non-Muslim Bumiputera, while Warisan’s chief, Mohd Shafie Apdal, is a Muslim of Bajau descent.
Sekong’s state seat was previously held by Ariffin Asgali de Warisan, who has since left the party to join Umno. This time, Warisan is deploying Alias Sani.
Other contenders for the seat include candidates from the Sabah-based parties Usno, LDP, Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) and Parti Perpaduan Rakyat Sabah (PPRS).
The campaign started on September 12 and the voting day is September 26. There are a total of 73 seats up for grabs in state elections.
Follow Malaysiakini’s coverage of the Sabah state elections here.
