KOTA KINABALU, May 12 — DAP’s victory in the Sandakan parliamentary by-election shows the people’s insistence for Pakatan Harapan (PH) and the state government under Parti Warisan Sabah to continue their rule.

Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Sabah chief coordinator Datuk Hajiji Noor added, the win further showed that the constituents wanted Vivian Wong Shir Yee to carry on with the agenda of her late father Datuk Stephen Wong Tien Fatt.

“She not only helped the PH government retain the seat but secured a bigger majority of 11,521 votes,” he noted in a statement today.

The Sandakan seat fell vacant following Stephen Wong’s passing due to a heart attack on March 28 this year. He was into his second term after retaining the seat for DAP in the 14th general election.

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Meanwhile, Hajiji said Bersatu Sabah was grateful to the Sandakan election machinery for allowing it to assist in the campaign at two of the district polling centres during the by-election.

“We are also proud that the district polling centres such as Sim-Sim and Pulau Berhala, where the majority of voters are Muslim Bumiputera and PH had lost then, were this time won by PH. At the same time, the win proves that the people’s support for UMNO has deteriorated since Bersatu’s entry into Sabah.”

Vivian Wong obtained 16,012 votes to defeat Parti Bersatu Sabah’s Datuk Linda Tsen Thau Lin (4,491 votes) in the five-cornered by-election.

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Three independents, Parti Amanah Negara, Sabah ex-chief Hamzah Abdullah, Sandakan Parliamentary Service Centre ex-administrative officer Sulaiman Abdul Samat and businessman Chia Siew Yung lost their deposits.

They obtained 788, 126, and 178 votes respectively. — Bernama