Sabah Wanita PH prepare for first by-election outing in Kimanis

Wanita PH leaders say they are all set for the Kimanis by-election on Jan 18.

KOTA KINABALU: The women’s wing of Pakatan Harapan will be going all out in the Kimanis by-election next month in the first outing for parties in the ruling coalition since 2018.

This will be the first time Warisan and Sabah DAP and PKR will work together as a group alongside Sabah Amanah, Sabah PPBM and Upko after taking power in the 14th general election last year.

National Wanita PH leader Aiman Athirah said her group is already on standby on the ground in Kimanis. Nomination day is Jan 4, and polling on Jan 18.

She named Sabah DAP Wanita chief Jannie Lasimbang as Wanita PH election director. Lasimbang is also Kapayan assemblyman.

“The launching of the Wanita PH machinery will be held the same day as the nomination day on Jan 4 at a venue to be decided later,” she said at a press conference at the Kapayan UPPM office here today.

She said a meeting was held with all the Wanita movements in Warisan, Upko and PH recently on combining their efforts for the by-election.

Warisan and Upko are PH-friendly parties while Sabah PH has agreed to make way for a candidate from Warisan, the party led by Sabah Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal.

The Kimanis parliamentary seat fell vacant after the Federal Court dismissed incumbent MP Anifah Aman’s appeal to set aside the election court declaration on the Kimanis poll win as null and void.

Anifah is now contemplating suing the Election Commission and has decided to withdraw from the Kimanis by-election race.

According to Aiman, Wanita PH will deploy between 200 and 300 members at any one time during the campaign period.

“We want to go down to listen to the voters’ problems again as we might have overlooked their requests after the general election,” she said.

Lasimbang said several walkabouts in the Kimanis Tamu grounds will be held during campaign time to woo the votes of KadazanDusun Murut and the Muslim Bumiputera communities, some of whom are fishermen.

She said PH will heed the lessons learnt from the Tanjung Piai by-election in Johor in November. - FMT