Will there be a surprise in Melalap?

KOTA KINABALU: Tenom, often called Sabah’s “Coffee Capital”, has been gaining a lot of attention, and not just for the aromatic drink.

There are several new tourist attractions such as Rundum Highlands, that have drawn visitors to this otherwise quiet place.

Lately, visitors of a different kind, namely politicians from across the state and even from the peninsula, have been arriving.

Incidentally, the Tenom parliamentary constituency was the scene of a “giant-slaying” 35 years ago.

Back in 1985, then Sabah chief minister Tan Sri Harris Salleh lost the seat, that had been his personal stronghold, to Kadoh Agundong, a relatively unknown candidate from the newly formed Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS).

Tenom now has two state seats, and political observers are keenly watching to see whether there will be a repeat of the 1985 drama.

However, the conditions today are different. There are two state constituencies in Tenom – Melalap and Kemabong. Allies are fighting one another for the Melalap seat.

Barisan Nasional (BN) is fielding Jamawi Jaafar, the incumbent assemblyman in neighbouring Kemabong, and PBS is represented by its deputy president Datuk Seri Radin Malleh. Both are allies in the Perikatan Nasional coalition.

Also in the fray to snatch the seat from incumbent Datuk Peter Anthony of Parti Warisan Sabah are Apiang Sausun of Parti Cinta Sabah, Sazali Justi of United Sabah National Organisation and Masdin Tumas of Liberal Democratic Party.

For the record, Radin was rural development minister in the state government that was led by former chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman.

He had held the seat for four consecutive terms, losing it to Anthony in 2018.

Anthony is focusing his campaign on issues such as the local economy.

Jamawi, who is a familiar face in the constituency, plans to focus on the agricultural and tourism sectors.

Apiang, a popular Murut singer, wants to offer new hope to his community and those of other ethnicities.

Sabah political analyst Dr Syahruddin Awg Ahmad said Apiang seems to have the advantage and could spring a surprise if he continues to raise unresolved issues of the Murut people in his campaign. – Bernama