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2019 Sandakan by-election

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2019 Sandakan by-election
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P186 Sandakan seat in the Dewan Rakyat
  First party Second party Third party
  DAP PBS IND
Candidate Vivian Wong Shir Yee Linda Tsen Thau Lin Hamzah Abdullah
Party DAP PBS Independent
Alliance PH-WARISAN-UPKO GBS-SAPP-PPRS
Popular vote 16,012 4,491 788
Percentage 75.02% 21.04% 3.69%
  Fourth party Fifth party
  IND IND
Candidate Chia Siew Yung Sulaiman Abdul Samat
Party Independent Independent
Popular vote 178 126
Percentage 0.83% 0.59%
P186 Sandakan federal constituency border and its corresponding state assembly seats.
MP before election

Wong Tien Fatt (died)
Pakatan Harapan (DAP)

Elected MP

Vivian Wong Shir Yee
Pakatan Harapan (DAP)

The 2019 Sandakan by-election was a by-election held on 11 May 2019 for the Dewan Rakyat seat of Sandakan.[1] It was called following the death of incumbent, Wong Tien Fatt on 28 March 2019.[2] Wong was a 2-term Member of Parliament for Sandakan since 2013. He was a member and Sabah state party chairman (2015-2019) of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition.[3]

Vivian Wong Shir Yee of DAP won the by-election by 16,012 votes out of the 21,595 votes cast with a bigger majority of 11,521 votes despite at a lower turnout rate at 54.44%.[4][5][6]

Background

[edit]

Wong Tien Fatt had died of heart attack on 28 March 2019.[7] Causing the Sandakan seat vacant and a by-election was called. The Election Commission (EC) had set the polling day for 11 May 2019. Early voting was held on 7 May 2019 and Nomination Day on 27 April 2019.

The electoral roll last updated on March 28 with a total of 40,131 voters was used. Of that figure, 39,856 are regular voters, 270 qualify as early voters and five voters who live abroad and qualify as absentee voters.[8]

Sandakan's registered voters are 49% Chinese, 44% Muslim-Bumiputra, 6% non-Muslim Bumiputra, and 1% Indian and others.[9]

Nominations

[edit]

On 25 April 2019, Sabah Chief Minister Shafie Apdal announced that Sabah DAP's Vivian Wong Shir Yee, the daughter of the late incumbent, as the candidate for the alliance of Pakatan Harapan (PH), Sabah Heritage Party (WARISAN) and United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO; later renamed United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation and now component party of PH) for the by-election.[10][11] On 26 April, Shafie Apdal said that the alliance would use DAP's logo for the by-election as DAP won by a vast majority using their logo in the 14th General Elections (GE14).[12]

United Sabah Party or Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS); of the United Alliance or Gabungan Bersatu Sabah (GBS; later rebranded as Gabungan Rakyat Sabah or Sabah People's Coalition; GRS) had earlier mulls over their decision fielding a candidate.[13] On 22 April 2019, the PBS finally announced their decision to contest the by-election.[14] On 26 April, former Batu Sapi MP, Linda Tsen Thau Lin was announced as the PBS candidate.[15] PBS would also use its own logo as GBS coalition is not registered while it had quit Barisan Nasional (BN) after GE14.[16]

Homeland Solidarity Party or Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR); one of PBS's two allies beside United Sabah People's Party (PBRS) within GBS alliance had earlier announced its intention to field economist Jenny Liew Wean Chee, 50, who is its Tanjung Papat division chief to contest the Sandakan by-election.[17] Somehow STAR had later retracted earlier decision to contest in the by-election in order to support their GBS counterpart and ally, PBS instead.[18]

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Yong Teck Lee on 25 April had conveyed their backing for the party's former foe, PBS to its president Maximus Ongkili in the by-election; for the interest of Sabah rights.[19]

Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) and United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) chief Bung Mokhtar Radin said Sabah BN or UMNO would not contest the by-election but would support a single candidate from the Opposition front.[20] There was speculation that Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) might contest the by-election and Batu Sapi MCA Division Chief, Chew Kok Wah was touted as the candidate.[21] On 21 April 2019, BN announced their intention to contest the by-election and candidate would likely come from the MCA or a direct member.[22] On 22 April 2019, BN acting chairman, Mohamad Hasan made the final decision for BN to not contest the by-election.[23]

Sabah Native Co-operation Party (Anak Negeri) intended to contest in the by-election since BN opted out of it and wished BN would support them instead.[24] However the party did not contest.

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), of which previous candidate Lim Ming Hoo contested the seat under BN ticket in the last GE14, announced that they would not contest this by-election.[25] They also had earlier denied they had met their previous BN coalition partner, UMNO, and declared they would not work with them in the by-election.[26]

Another former BN component; Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (Gerakan) cancelled their plan to contest by fielding the ex-Sabah deputy chief minister, Raymond Tan Shu Kiah, for the by-election after he resigned abruptly from the party.[27] He joined WARISAN later.[28]

The Sabah Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) announced on 2 April that they were ready to field a candidate in the by-election and Sabah PAS commissioner Mohd Aminuddin Aling said the decision would be confirmed in a meeting later on.[29] On 17 April 2019, PAS announced that they would not contest the seat and would support a candidate from the Opposition.[30]

United Sabah National Organisation (USNO) also declared they would not contest and would support the PBS candidate in the by-election.[31]

Businessman and former oil palm company manager Chia Siew Yung, 46, announced he would be contesting in the by-election as an independent.[32] Other than Chia, at least two other independents, ex-Sabah National Trust Party (AMANAH) chairman / ex-Sabah PAS commissioner Hamzah Abdullah and youth activist Jufazli Shi Ahmad, also stated their wish to contest for the by-election.[9] Sulaiman Abdul Samat, 36, the ex-Assistant Administrator of DAP Sandakan Parliament Service Centre, had also intended to join the by-election.[33]

On 27 April Nomination Day, Vivian Wong of DAP and Linda Tsen of PBS along with 3 independents, Chia Siew Yung (key), Hamzah Abdullah (tree) and Sulaiman Abdul Samat (chair) filed their nomination papers to set for a five-cornered fight in the by-election.[34]

Controversies and issues

[edit]

Finance Minister, Lim Guan Eng announced a RM2.28 billion development project to be held in Sandakan. This was widely criticised by social media for launching a project when the by-election was near.[35]

DAP candidate Vivian Wong was criticised for cleaning a Muslim cemetery. Social media users cited that it was a political gimmick to gain Muslim Bumiputera votes.[36]

PBS put up a controversial banner that claimed Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng had threatened Sandakan voters by saying he could not solve the issue of insufficient parking lots at the Sandakan Hospital in the event that DAP's candidate Vivian Wong lost in this by-election. DAP dismissed the claim and explained that Lim's remark was taken out of context. The banner was subsequently removed by the Election Commission.[37][38][39]

Results

[edit]
Malaysian general by-election, 2019: Sandakan
Upon the death of the incumbent, Wong Tien Fatt
Party Candidate Votes % ∆%
DAP Vivian Wong Shir Yee1 16,012 74.15 +6.18
PBS Linda Tsen Thau Lin 4,491 20.80 -11.23
Independent Hamza A. Abdullah @ Hamzah 788 3.65 +3.65
Independent Chia Siew Yung 178 0.82 +0.82
Independent Sulaiman Abdul Samat 126 0.58 +0.58
Total valid votes 21,595 100.00
Total rejected ballots 234
Unreturned ballots 18
Turnout 21,847 54.44
Registered electors 40,131
Majority 11,521
DAP hold Swing +8.71
Source(s)
1. "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Kecil P.186 Sandakan". Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Malaysia. 2019-05-11. Archived from the original on 2019-05-23. Retrieved 2019-05-23.

Note: 1Vivian Wong Shir Yee was a candidate of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), who had contested under the DAP banner instead of the PH banner.[40]

Polling District Result

[edit]

DAP won all the polling districts and post votes. PSB won the early votes with a razor thin majority.

Previous Result

[edit]
Malaysian general election, 2018: Sandakan
Party Candidate Votes % ∆%
DAP Wong Tien Fatt 19,094 67.97 + 15.98
BN Lim Ming Hoo 8,996 32.03 - 15.98
Total valid votes 28,090 100.00
Total rejected ballots 502
Unreturned ballots 76
Turnout 28,668 72.07
Registered electors 39,777
Majority 10,098 35.95
DAP hold Swing +15.98
Source(s)

"His Majesty's Government Gazette - Notice of Contested Election, Parliament for the State of Sabah [P.U. (B) 246/2018]" (PDF). Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia. 3 May 2018. Retrieved 2018-08-01.[permanent dead link‍]

"Federal Government Gazette - Results of Contested Election and Statements of the Poll after the Official Addition of Votes, Parliamentary Constituencies for the State of Sabah [P.U. (B) 320/2018]" (PDF). Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia. 28 May 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 29, 2019. Retrieved 2018-08-01.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Mazwin Nik Anis (5 April 2019). "Sandakan by-election falls on May 11". The Star Online. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  2. ^ "Sandakan MP Stephen Wong dies of heart attack". Malaysiakini. 28 March 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Jimmy claims DAP Sabah chief broke 'Shanghai' promise". The Borneo Post. 28 April 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Pakatan retains Sandakan by a landslide, snaps run of three by-election losses". The Star Online. 11 May 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  5. ^ Tracy Patrick (11 May 2019). "DAP wins bigger majority in Sandakan". Free Malaysia Today. Archived from the original on 11 May 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  6. ^ "OFFICIAL: DAP retains Sandakan, Harapan breaks losing streak". Malaysiakini. 11 May 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  7. ^ "Sandakan MP Stephen Wong dies of heart attack". The Star Online. 28 March 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  8. ^ Lazareen Thaveethu Moses (5 April 2019). "EC: Sandakan by-election on May 11, nomination on April 27". Malay Mail. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  9. ^ a b Julia Chan (18 April 2019). "Sabah Opposition still torn over unified front for Sandakan race". Malay Mail. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  10. ^ "Sabah DAP pushes for Stephen Wong's daughter as Sandakan candidate". The Star Online. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  11. ^ "Harapan to field ex-MP's daughter in Sandakan". Malaysiakini. 25 April 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  12. ^ "DAP party logo to be used in Sandakan by-election, says Shafie". Malaysiakini. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  13. ^ Mohd Izham Unnip Abdullah (8 April 2019). "PBS mulls fielding candidate for Sandakan by-election". New Straits Times. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  14. ^ Julia Chan (22 April 2019). "PBS to contest Sandakan by-election". Malay Mail. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  15. ^ Lu Wei Hoong (26 April 2019). "PBS names Linda Tsen for Sandakan, banks on ex-MP's popularity for upset". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  16. ^ "PBS to contest Sandakan by-election". The Star Online. 23 April 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  17. ^ Leonard Alaza (April 6, 2019). "Star announces intention to contest Sandakan by-poll". Daily Express. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
  18. ^ Julia Chan (22 April 2019). "STAR bows out of Sandakan by-election, pledges support for PBS candidate". Malay Mail. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  19. ^ Olivia Miwil (26 April 2019). "Sandakan by-election: SAPP declares support for PBS". New Straits Times. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  20. ^ "Field one candidate for Sandakan". The Star Online. 31 March 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  21. ^ Poliana Ronnie Sidom (9 April 2019). "Sandakan by-election gaining interest". New Straits Times. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  22. ^ Lu Wei Hoong (21 April 2019). "Amid palm oil price slump, BN mulls contesting in Sandakan". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  23. ^ "BN will not contest Sandakan by-election - Mat Hasan". Malaysiakini. 22 April 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  24. ^ "We're in if you're out, Anak Negeri tells BN on Sandakan by-election". Free Malaysia Today. MSN. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  25. ^ Lu Wei Hoong (12 April 2019). "Star mulls contesting Sandakan by-election". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  26. ^ Durie Rainer Fong (March 31, 2019). "We won't work with Umno in Sandakan polls, says LDP". Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  27. ^ "Ex-DCM quits Gerakan after offered to contest Sandakan seat". Malaysiakini. 24 April 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  28. ^ "Ex-Tanjung Papat assemblyperson Raymond Tan joins Warisan". Bernama. Malaysiakini. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  29. ^ "PAS ready to contest in Sandakan". The Sun. 2 April 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  30. ^ "PAS to skip Sandakan by-election, support opposition candidate". The Sun. 17 April 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  31. ^ "PRK Sandakan: USNO sokong calon PBS" (in Malay). Berita Harian. 24 April 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  32. ^ Mardinah Jikur (12 April 2019). "Ex-manager contesting Sandakan by-election as independent". Daily Express. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  33. ^ Poliana Ronnie Sidom (18 April 2019). "Mahu bertanding kerana rasa bertanggungjawab" (in Malay). Berita Harian. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  34. ^ Raynore Mering (27 April 2019). "Five-cornered fight in Sandakan by-election". Malay Mail. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
  35. ^ "Ahead of by-election, gov't announces RM2.28b development projects in Sandakan". Malaysiakini. 23 April 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  36. ^ "Sandakan polls: DAP criticised for cleaning up Muslim cemetery on campaign trail". The Star Online. 28 April 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  37. ^ Lu Wei Hoong (2 May 2019). "EC tears down PBS banner critical of Guan Eng". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  38. ^ Tan, Tarrence. "Sandakan cops: We only advised EC to take down controversial billboard - Nation | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
  39. ^ "EC tears down PBS banner critical of Guan Eng". Malaysiakini. 2 May 2019. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
  40. ^ "DAP party logo to be used in Sandakan by-election, says Shafie". Malaysiakini. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
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