Getting ready: An Election Commission official preparing for the early voting process for the Kinabatangan and Lamag by-elections at the Kinabatangan district police headquarters. — Bernama
KINABATANGAN: It is a tough call to make for three youths gathered at a wooden stilt-house coffeeshop in Kampung Sukau along the Kinabatangan, Sabah’s longest river.
In their 20s, the youths weighed their thoughts between Barisan Nasional’s parliamentary candidate for Kinabatangan, Mohd Naim Kurniawan Moktar, and Warisan’s Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman, reflecting the dilemma faced by young voters across the constituency.
“Naim is good. He is very quick to understand what people need,” said one of them who wanted to be known as Zul.
“He is young like us and can address issues well.
“I’m just not sure about his delivery yet because he is still new,” he added.
His friend Nordin chipped in, saying Naim should not be directly compared with his late father Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin.
“You cannot compare Naim with Bung, who was a tough and brave leader who did a lot for Kinabatangan,” he said.
The third youth cautioned against underestimating Saddi, saying his contributions as former Sukau assemblyman were still acknowledged by many.
“Saddi was a three-term assemblyman here. There are many things he did to transform Sukau and people still remember them,” he said.
Youth No. 3 cited the construction and upgrading of village roads, Masjid Tun Juhar, a tamu (weekly market) in Kampung Sukau and infrastructure projects as part of Saddi’s contributions.
Asked how they would vote – blue for Barisan or white for Warisan – the three played their cards close to their chest, saying both candidates have their own strengths.
The Kinabatangan parliamentary by-election is a three-cornered fight, with the other being Goldam Hamid who is using his own symbol as an Independent.
The youths said the contest would not be an easy passage for any party, as voters no longer want their support to be taken for granted.
“We want leaders who serve us, not those who assume our support,” they said.
For these youths in Sukau, like many others across Kinabatangan, the by-election has created a difficult choice between sentiment for Sabah-based parties, national parties and long-standing generational loyalties.
They said young voters no longer had the same mindset as their parents, who traditionally voted based on loyalty or sense of indebtedness to a party or leader.
“Our vote should not be taken for granted. A leader must be around to serve and not vanish after winning,” one of them said.
The dilemma is further complicated by voting patterns seen during the Nov 29 Sabah state polls, when voters across the three state constituencies of Sukau, Lamag and Kuamut in the Kinabatangan parliamentary constituency split their support among the Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah-led GRS, Warisan, Barisan and Independent candidates.
With Barisan now given a clear run by its newly forged partners in GRS as well as Upko, it is left to contend mainly with Warisan, which remains outside the state ruling coalition.
In Lamag, Barisan’s candidate Mohd Ismail Ayob, better known as Miha, who contested as an Independent against Barisan during the state election, is now the national coalition’s consensus candidate, going up against Warisan’s Mazliwati Abd Malek Chua.
This political realignment has sparked unease among sections of the grassroots, not only within local GRS component parties but also among Umno’s rank-and-file in Kinabatangan.
For many supporters still coming to terms with compromises forged so soon after a bitter state election, the emotional pull remains strong.
“It is a tough and emotional call. The real question is whether voters will come out to vote and if they do, who they will ultimately choose,” said a political observer.
