Call on Sabah voters to treasure every vote - for it is a vote to usher a wind of change in Sabah and Malaysia

Sabah has achieved a dubious record of having a total of 447 candidates from 16 political parties and 56 independents to contest the 16th Sabah election

There were multi-cornered fights in all the seats, the lowest being three-way battles and highest with 11 candidates vying for one seat, the Bengkoka seat in the Kudat parliamentary area.

Among others, there are 15 five-way battles, 26 six-way battles, 13 seven-way battles, six eight-cornered fights and three nine-cornered ones.

This is not only a record for Malaysia, Sabah can also enter into the Guinness Book of Records for the international arena although this is not an achievement to be proud about.

What is the purpose for this “record” for the number of candidates in the Sabah general election?

The objective is quite clear. The sponsors of this multiplicity of candidates want to so divide the electorate in the Sabah state election that on Polling Day on Sept. 26, no one political party or coalition can form the Sabah state government which is the time for the “political frogs” to demand the highest price and monetary gain for their “jumping” and support.

In such a scenario, Sabah will enter into a period of uncertainty, instability and chaos, which can do no good for the interests and rights of the people of Sabah.

Instead of the people of Sabah deciding their political future, it will be the political frogs and their masters who will decide their future.

This is why it is important that the voters of Sabah should cherish every vote and not throw them away, for the Sabah voters will not be voting just for themselves, but for their children and children’s children.

We must not gamble away the rights of our children and children’s children.

I am nearly 80 years old, and I was just as disappointed and disillusioned in February this year when the five-year mandate of the Pakatan Harapan government for integrity, institutional reform, justice and prosperity for all Malaysians was truncated after 22 months by an illegitimate grab for power.

I also shared in the pessimism of many Malaysians who felt that the future of Malaysia is doomed and bleak.

I wondered whether my 55 years of political struggle and sacrifice for public integrity, freedom, justice and prosperity for Malaysia been in vain and a wasted effort?

Have we failed in our national mission to save Malaysia from the trajectory towards a failed state, a kleptocracy and a kakistocracy?

But can we just give up and forget about the future of our children and children’s children?

This gave me heart and hope that we can remake the future. If we can achieve the feat of toppling a seemingly invincible Barisan Nasional in the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018, we can restore the mandate for integrity, unity, freedom, justice and prosperity for all Malaysians which was snatched away by the backdoor “Sheraton Move” conspiracy in February this year.

If we can ensure that Warisan Plus not only wins in Sabah to form the State Government, but with a two-thirds majority to end “frog-jumping” and instability in the political scene in Sabah, it will usher a wind of change not only in Sabah but also in the whole of Malaysia.

The Sabah election results will be a forerunner of the outcome of the 15th Malaysian general elections that the mandate for change, public integrity, institutional reform, justice and freedom for all Malaysians in the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018 can be restored and be the agenda of a new national government in Malaysia.

Perikatan Nasional headed by the Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin wants Hajiji Noor to be the new Sabah Chief Minister after the election. Barisan Nasional does not agree but the BN President, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi dare not announce that it wants Bung Moktar Radin as the new Sabah Chief Minister.

Let Sabah voters vote solidly for Shafie Apdal to continue as the Sabah Chief Minister after Sept. 26!