SANDAKAN: Once sidelined and written off, three local political figures are now reshaping the contest in Sandakan’s Chinese-majority seats after coming together under Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (PKDM).
PKDM remains a new force in Sandakan. Its emergence here accelerated only after former Sabah DAP leaders Datuk Frankie Poon and Liau Fui Fui left the party in early October following disagreements over internal direction and constituency decisions.
Poon is defending N56 Tanjong Papat while Liau is running in N55 Elopura. Their partnership widened when Datuk Chew Kok Woh joined PKDM after his anticipated candidacy under Pakatan Harapan for N54 Karamunting seat did not materialise.
Chew had earlier been publicly endorsed by PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar during an event in Sandakan, leading many to assume he would be named as the coalition’s candidate.
Instead, PKR announced Gabungan Rakyat Sabah’s incumbent Datuk George Hiew Vun Zin as its pick, a decision that took Chew and his supporters by surprise.
Chew said the calls that came after the announcement convinced him to stay in the race.
“People told me not to walk away. Some even asked me to run as an independent. Many urged me to speak to Frankie and Fui Fui, and that is how the idea of joining PKDM began. They (supporters) told me they felt relieved once they knew I still had a platform to serve them,” he said.
The three candidates describe their collaboration as Sandakan’s “golden triangle”, noting that Karamunting, Tanjong Papat and Elopura are linked through a continuous road network that forms a triangular loop, making coordination between the adjoining seats natural and strategic.
PKDM’s momentum was most visible on nomination Day for Poon and Liau, when the party drew what many described as Sandakan’s largest-ever nomination turnout. Close to 2,500 supporters marched along a two-kilometre stretch towards the nomination centre.
Poon said the response reflected a shift on the ground, proving his hard work and services in his constituency for the past five years.
Liau said PKDM’s visibility grew faster than expected despite being new to the East Coast.
“We did not expect people to recognise the party so quickly. Even more surprising was how many already understood why we made the switch. The crowds did not appear out of nowhere. They came because of the years we spent on the ground,” she said.
The trio said they have agreed on several shared development priorities for Sandakan and believe their aligned presence in the three adjoining seats will strengthen efforts to resolve long-standing local issues, especially water supply problem.
