Najib expected to use ‘Malu apa bossku’ moniker
SANDAKAN: Top opposition big guns have flown into this east coast Sabah town in a bid for Parti Bersatu Sabah’s (PBS) Datuk Linda Tsen to create an upset in Saturday’s by-election.
Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak of Umno is set to make full use of his “Malu apa bossku” (What’s the shame, my boss?) moniker in the Sandakan polls when he arrives tomorrow.
Najib will go to Sandakan when his SRC International trial in Kuala Lumpur takes a break.
According to a schedule distributed to the media, the former Barisan Nasional chairman is set to meet voters in a walkabout at a Ramadan bazaar in Sandakan town, followed by another programme at the Giant Supermarket in IJM, Bandar Utama.
In the previous Cameron Highlands, Semenyih and Rantau by-elections, political observers have said the “Malu apa bossku” moniker was among the factors that led to Barisan’s three consecutive by-election victories.
Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who arrived yesterday, campaigned for PBS at Bandar Letat Jaya.
Mohamad, popularly known as “Tok Mat”, and other party stalwarts such as Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan were on the ground to get support for Tsen, a former two-term Batu Sapi MP. MCA secretary-general Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun was also in town to support Tsen.
Former Parliament Speaker and Umno leader Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia arrived last Saturday to campaign for PBS.
State opposition party leaders such as Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee, who is a former chief minister, and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Sabah STAR) president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan are campaigning for Tsen as well.
Independent Kimanis MP Datuk Seri Anifah Aman, who resigned from Umno last September, is in Sandakan. However, he is also supporting Tsen’s attempt to wrest Sandakan from DAP.
Saturday’s by-election will be a five-cornered fight between PBS, DAP and three independent candidates.
The Sandakan polls was triggered by the death of DAP candidate Vivian Wong’s father Datuk Stephen Wong, the two-term incumbent MP who passed away due to a heart attack.