Skip to main content

New! You can personalise your feed. Try it now

Advertisement

Advertisement

Malaysia GE2022: With helicopter and braving monsoon rain, Sabah’s political heavyweights criss-cross state to woo voters

KOTA KINABALU — One political chief arrived at a village rally hall on Friday (Nov 11) with much fanfare via a helicopter and a convoy of 100 motorcycles. Some 100km away and later in the day, a political ally turned rival made a rally entrance in a less flamboyant way, but was still greeted by a full house of suburban supporters who had turned up despite a thunderstorm.

Follow TODAY on WhatsApp
  • On Friday, two political party leaders who count the eastern coast of Sabah as their strongholds were in the state's western constituencies to rally voters
  • Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Bung Moktar, who leads the Sabah Barisan Nasional coalition, campaigned in Kota Belud
  • He landed in Kota Belud, considered one of Malaysia’s poorest districts, in a helicopter
  • That evening, opposition party Warisan’s president, Mr Shafie Apdal, visited the suburban town of Penampang for a rally
  • Supporters surrounded the former federal minister for photos and to shake his hands, even as he was leaving

KOTA KINABALU — One political chief arrived at a village rally hall on Friday (Nov 11) with much fanfare via a helicopter and a convoy of 100 motorcycles. 

Some 100km away and later in the day, a political ally-turned-rival made a rally entrance in a less flamboyant way, but was still greeted by a full house of suburban supporters who had turned up despite a thunderstorm.

As campaigning for Malaysia’s 15th General Election heats up for a second and final week, the two political heavyweights in the east Malaysian state of Sabah left their strongholds to rally support for their respective parties.

Barisan Nasional (BN)'s Sabah chief Bung Moktar Radin and opposition Warisan party president Shafie Apdal both count constituencies on the east coast of Sabah as their strongholds. 

Known for his controversial remarks, including hurling vulgarities in Parliament, Mr Bung, who has also been dogged by graft charges, has been campaigning outside of his stronghold of Kinabatangan to support BN candidates in other constituencies in the past week. 

On Friday morning, Mr Bung, who is also a deputy chief minister of Sabah, graced a BN rally at Kota Belud, a rural district considered to be one of Malaysia’s poorest areas and a five-hour drive away from his Kinabatangan stronghold on the opposite side of the state.

Supporters waiting for the arrival of Sabah Barisan Nasional chief Bung Moktar Radin at Kota Belud, Sabah on Nov 11, 2022.

Mr Shafie, who counts the south-eastern constituency of Semporna as his stronghold, was also campaigning in the western side of Sabah for the party’s candidates.

He spoke at a rally in the suburban town of Penampang, an hour away from the capital city of Kota Kinabalu, on Friday night.

Warisan is making a solo foray in the general election, after ending its pact with the Pakatan Harapan coalition, which it partnered with in the previous poll in 2018. 

Mr Shafie is a former vice-president of BN lynchpin party United Malays Nasional Organisation, the same party that Mr Bung belongs to.

But Mr Shafie resigned from the ruling party in 2016 to start Warisan, which is a Sabah-based party championing for the rights of the state.

He has been on the road since last Sunday to campaign on behalf of other Warisan candidates, doing so in the west coast of Sabah since Wednesday.

Warisan is contesting all 25 seats in Sabah, while Sabah BN is contesting in 12 seats. Its electoral partner Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) is contesting in the other 13 constituencies.

Other parties contesting in Sabah are Mr Anwar Ibrahim's Pakatan Harapan, which is fielding 24 candidates, and Dr Mahathir Mohamad's Gerakan Tanah Air, which is fielding 14.

The polls in Sabah are closely watched as neither BN, the Perikatan Nasional (PN) pact headed by former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin and the opposition Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition is expected to win a simple majority of votes to form the Government.

This means the decision by East Malaysian voters and political leaders on which side to support post-election could “make or break” the coalition hoping to lead the federal Government.

Sabah Barisan Nasional chief Bung Moktar Radin meeting supporters at a rally in Kota Belud, Sabah on Nov 11, 2022.

MAKING A HELICOPTER ENTRANCE

As the campaign kicked off on Friday morning, the north-western town of Kota Belud was greeted by the loud rotor noise of the helicopter ferrying Mr Bung as it landed on a school field across the hall that he was to deliver his rally in. 

A convoy of 100 motorcycles with BN supporters led the way as he was ferried across the road to the rally hall in a black car.

The mood was festive, with a group of young supporters welcoming him with traditional drums as he entered the field.

Sporting a blue vest which said “Radu Tatap Radu, Sampai Rata” (which loosely translates to "Fighting until you succeed") and had a picture of him with his fist held up, Mr Bung greeted supporters and stopped to take photos and shake their hands.

Crowds at a BN rally in Kota Belud that was attended by Sabah Barisan Nasional chief Bung Moktar Radin, Nov 11, 2022.

During his 30-minute speech in Malay under a huge, open-air tent to about 400 supporters, Mr Bung elicited cheers from the crowd when he said he would go all out to win the votes of Kota Belud residents.

Ms Rosmah Singkutung, a 51-year-old housewife and BN member who was at the rally, said that Mr Bung’s presence brought more energy to the rally. 

When asked about his reputation in Parliament, Ms Rosmah, who was helping herself to the buffet spread sponsored by the party, said that it is good that Mr Bung spoke up for the people, although she acknowledged that the wording he uses sometimes can be “a bit rude”.

A YouTube video of Mr Bung shouting "f*** you" to opposition Member of Parliament Willie Mongin in August 2018 when the latter referred to an allegation that the former visited a casino has been viewed 3.4 million times.

Mr Bung has also been charged with corruption alongside his wife, actress Zizie Izette, and their case involving an alleged sum of RM$2.8 million (S$830,000) is pending before the courts.

Sabah Barisan Nasional chief Bung Moktar Radin wearing a party vest with his face printed on it.

Still, Ms Rosmah said she will fully support Mr Bung, who has been re-elected Kinabatangan Member of Parliament four more times since first winning it in 1999. 

Stopping to speak to the media before he left, Mr Bung said that he was “very confident” that the BN-GRS partnership will sweep more seats than before come polling day next Saturday.

On whether the partnership will hold even after elections, Mr Bung said: “When we cross the bridge, we’ll think about it.”

Commenting on how voters feel about his personality in Parliament, Mr Bung said: “For my people, they don’t mind about that…I believe they will still choose me to be their parliamentary representative.” 

At a little after noon, Mr Bung bid several more party members goodbye and was ferried across the road to the school field, where he hopped back into his helicopter to head to his next destination in Beluran, some 250km away on the eastern side of Sabah.

Opposition party Warisan’s president Shafie Apdal speaking at a party rally held at a food court in Penampang, Sabah on Nov 11, 2022.

CROWDS BRAVE MONSOON RAIN TO SEE OPPOSITION LEADER

While the skies had been clear in the morning, a heavy downpour ensued just as another rally, this time by opposition party Warisan, began in the township of Penampang. 

Despite the gloomy weather, residents of the suburban town an hour south of Kota Kinabalu braved the rain to hear its president, Mr Shafie, speak at an giant indoor food court. 

Patrons began to slowly fill the Funky Farm food court as early as 7pm, as the rally emcee raised the crowd’s energy by quizzing them on Warisan’s party history and urged them to patronise the food stalls, but with the caveat that they would have to pay for the food themselves.

Warisan candidates of neighbouring constituencies also arrived at staggered timings, and took the stage to present their plans for the elections.

But it was clear that the 500-strong crowd was there for Mr Shafie, who has been a Member of Parliament for Semporna since 1995.

He was also a minister at the federal level for over 10 years, holding various portfolios such as Domestic Trade and Consumerism as well as Rural and Regional Development.

Crowds at a Warisan rally that was held at a food court in Penampang, Sabah on Nov 11, 2022.

Upon his arrival by car at around 8.30pm, the crowd stood up to cheer him as he entered, and clamoured around him to take a photo as he moved to sit alongside other candidates in front of the stage.

Mr Shafie obliged, stopping to greet supporters and entertain selfie requests from people along the way.

Speaking in a mix of Malay and English for an hour, Mr Shafie put forth Warisan’s plan to build a more inclusive and multiracial Sabah, and push for greater autonomy for the East Malaysian state. The crowd cheered towards the end when he called on them to vote for Warisan. 

Mr Shafie Apdal, president of opposition party Warisan, greeting residents at a party rally held at a food court in Penampang, Sabah on Nov 11, 2022

Supporters at the food court told TODAY that they were there because they wanted to listen to Mr Shafie speak.

Said Mr Fauzi Bin Seni, a 32-year-old public servant: “I’m here for Shafie. I want to hear what he has to say…He is fighting for Sabah’s rights, so I want to hear about that.”

“He is a very neutral leader and we are multiracial in Sabah, Muslims, Christians and whatever religion and he is a very multiracial leader,” added Mr Regi Benedict, a 56-year-old self-employed person in the construction industry.

As the rally ended close to 10pm, a media scrum ensued as a horde of more than 10 reporters surrounded Mr Shafie to ask questions. 

Crowds at a Warisan rally that was held at a food court in Penampang, Sabah on Nov 11, 2022.

On whether he would campaign in peninsular Malaysia, where Warisan, which launched nationally last year, is contesting 26 parliamentary seats, Mr Shafie said that he would go to Pandan in Selangor on Sunday to campaign for candidates there.

He said, in an apparent dig at Mr Bung: “I hope they can gather because I do not have a helicopter, I do not have a jet. I only travel by AirAsia. 

“Time is a bit limited and I do not have time, so I’m going to fly over at 5am and then back the next day at 5am.”

Mr Shafie continued to entertain the stream of supporters coming up to him to shake his hands or take a photo even as TODAY left the rally at 10.30pm.

Visit our Malaysia Elections 2022 page for the latest coverage, updates from TODAY journalists on the ground and more.

Related topics

Bung Moktar Shafie Apdal Sabah Warisan Barisan Nasional Malaysia Elections 2022 Malaysia Malaysian politics

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.