Hamzah claims campaign being sabotaged

SANDAKAN: Independent candidate Hamzah Abdullah claims his election campaign is being systematically sabotaged by Sabah Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) members and the Sandakan Municipal Council (MPS).

According to Hamzah, the police report lodged by Sabah Amanah Youth chief Khairuddin Daud, which alleged he had used Amanah’s logo during his campaign, was a false claim.

Hamzah said during his walkabout on Tuesday, several Amanah members who bumped into him had offered to distribute his campaign flyers to Sandakan locals.

“I appreciated their cooperation so I gave them the flyers.

“I did not force them to distribute it on my behalf. They did it on their own accord,” he added.

In the police report, Khairuddin claimed that several individuals believed to be affiliated with Hamzah were seen distributing pamphlets while wearing a T-shirt bearing the Amanah logo at the Kim Fung Market.

“This allegation is not true at all,” Hamzah added.

He said he would file a defamation suit against Khairuddin after the May 11 Sandakan polls.

At the same time, Hamzah, the former Sabah Amanah chairman, claimed that applications for his ceramah were deliberately being delayed by MPS.

He said he had submitted an application for an April 30 ceramah the day before but it was only approved at 5pm on the day of the event.

“I didn’t have enough time to tell the voters that I was having a ceramah at Taman Mesra. I had to postpone that ceramah.

“But I managed get approval for another ceramah at Taman Harmoni on Wednesday at 5pm,” he said.

From his past experience with the process, Hamzah said an application for a ceramah that was submitted in the morning would be approved by 2pm or 3pm on the day itself.

Hamzah had been at loggerheads with Amanah members since campaigning for the Sandakan by-election kicked off last Saturday.

On Monday, Sabah Amanah chairman Haris Alimuddin issued a warning that disciplinary action would be taken against its members for supporting Hamzah, who resigned from all positions.

Last August, Hamzah, who’s also the former Sabah Amanah chairman, said he was forced to step down from all positions in the party because some of its members refused to cooperate under his leadership.