More women first-timers given mandate in GE14
KOTA KINABALU: The 14th general election (GE14) saw more first-time assemblywomen being given the mandate by the people.
After standing trial for four charges under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, which almost prohibited her from contesting, Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sabah women chief Jannie Lasimbang successfully secured the Kapayan state seat with a whopping majority of 13,250 votes, against Datuk Francis Goh (BN) and Chong Pit Fah (Solidariti).
Jannie, who is a first-time contender, defended the DAP state seat which was previously held by Dr Edwin Bosi who is now with Anak Negeri. He won the seat in GE13 on a DAP ticket with a majority of 7,287 votes.
Meanwhile, her sister Jenifer Lasimbang became the first Moyog assemblywoman after defeating Datuk Donald Peter Mojuntin (BN), Dennis Tunding (PCS) and Aloysius Siap (Solidariti) with a majority vote of 4,442.
The Moyog state seat was previously held by Terrence Siambun of PKR, who secured the seat with 1,682 majority votes in GE13. Jenifer, who contested under Warisan, was also a first timer.
Matunggong Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Women’s chief Julita Majungki, who contested for the state seat under a BN ticket, managed to reclaim the seat after PKR’s Jelani Hamdan won in the last election with a slim majority of 320 votes.
She won the state seat that the nation’s previous Deputy Prime Minister had requested PBS to lend to Umno for GE14, with 1,687 majority votes in a fivecornered fight against Marunsai Dawai (Solidariti), Sazalye Donol Abdullah (PKR), Jornah Mozihim (PCS) and Rahim Madhakong (PKS).
In the Kota Belud parliamentary seat, a woman first-timer from Warisan, Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis @ Fakhrudy defeated former Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak.
She garnered 23,429 votes with a 4,262 majority against Salleh for BN-Umno, who garnered 19,167 votes.
Isnaraissah and Salleh were involved in a four-cornered fight with Ag Laiman (PAS) and Miasin Mion (Harapan Rakyat), who obtained 1,410 and 2,092 votes respectively.
First-timer Noorita Sual of DAP was elected as the new member of parliament for Tenom after she defeated BN-Umno Datuk Rubin Balang in a three-cornered fight with a candidate from Harapan Rakyat.
She won with a majority of 1,133 votes against Rubin who garnered 10,230 votes and Laimoi @ Yuslinah Laikim, who obtained 645 votes.
Noorita garnered 11,363 votes, while 661 votes were rejected.
Meanwhile, Datuk Peter Anthony of Warisan won Malalap state seat after fighting off four contenders. Peter triumphed with a slim majority of 293 votes against Radin Maleh (BN-Umno) who managed to garner 4,717 votes, while the STAR candidate managed to get 861 votes, and PCS and PKS candidates managed to garner 69 and 45 votes respectively.
The state seat of Kemabong was won by BN-Umno’s Jamawi Jaafar, who managed to get 6,093 votes against Haris Bolos of Warisan who managed to acquire 5,198 votes. PCS and Harapan Rakyat candidates managed to garner 152 and 124 votes respectively. Jamawi won with a majority of 895.
Incumbent PKR Sabah chief Christina Liew defended her ApiApi state seat with a majority of 2,954 votes, in a five-cornered fight against Dr Chan Chee Ching (independent), Yee Moh Chai (BN), Land Lip Fong (Anak Negeri) and Lim Kat Chung (SAPP).
She retained her seat after defeating two-term assemblyman Yee Moh Chai for the second time since unseating him in the last election.
In addition, Christina also managed to win over BN stronghold Tawau, which was previously held by Datuk Dr Mary Yap.
The parliament seat had been a BN constituency for the last five elections but was unseated by Christina with a majority of 4,727 votes, in a four-cornered fight against Mary Yap (BN), Alizaman Jijurahman (Harapan Rakyat) and Mohamad Husain (PAS).
On the flip side, some assemblywomen and women members of parliament did not manage to defend their seats this election, most of whom contested on a BN ticket.
Umno Sepanggar Women chief Datuk Jainab Ahmad Ayid, who is Karambunai incumbent assemblywomen of three terms, lost to newcomer Azhar Matussin of Warisan by a majority of 5,366 votes.
Azhar, who is one of seven Umno Sepanggar division committee members to quit and join Warisan, won with 8,791 votes.
Another three-term incumbent was also defeated by a Warisan candidate for the parliament seat of Papar.
Puteri Umno chief Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin was unseated by Ahmad Hassan with a majority win of 325 votes, who also went up against Elbert Sikuil (PCS) and Jamil William Core (Solidariti) in a four-cornered fight.
PBS veteran woman candidate and Supreme Council member Datuk Linda Tsen also failed to retain her Batu Sapi seat, after Datuk Liew Vui Keong won with a 4,619-majority vote.
Furthermore, first-timer Dr Pamela Yong did not succeed in returning the Luyang seat to BN, after her mother Agnes Shim lost to DAP in GE13.
DAP maintained the state seat with Phoong Jin Zhe’s victory of 12,408 majority votes in a threecornered fight against Gee Tien Siong (SAPP).