KOTA KINABALU, Jan 4 — Warisan candidate Datuk Karim Bujang is unperturbed by having to face the entirety of the Barisan Nasional election machinery in the by-election here, which includes former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the latter’s social media renaissance.
A five-term state assemblyman and former Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary, Karim said the support and feedback he has received so far has emboldened his belief that he could wrest the seat from BN that has held it for the last three terms.
The by-election was triggered after Karim succeeded in his election petition against Datuk Seri Anifah Aman’s general election victory. The former minister is not contesting and is no longer with Umno, but is expected to throw his support and influence behind his former party.
During nominations earlier today, BN deployed many of its biggest names to chaperone Karim’s opponent, Datuk Mohamad Alamin, in a display of strength.
“I don’t want to sound pompous, but I have a good gut feeling, from the response of the public and the party workers,” he said.
“Warisan has never been scared, not scared of Anifah. Not scared of anybody,” Karim said when asked if he was concerned about Anifah’s clout in the area as well as the united opposition front.
He also downplayed Najib’s presence to rally support for his rival.
Najib continues to enjoy popular support despite his many criminal trials, a paradox that Karim was quick to point out while taking a swipe as the former’s “BOSSKU” social media phenomenon.
“I was just wondering... a person who on trial in court can come here and act like a boss and people are supporting him here. The irony… that people are ‘bossku’ to somebody under trial in the High Court in KL. What sort of rubbish is that?” he said.
Karim also said Warisan was aware that Alamin will run against him using youth as a factor, and was already at work to neutralise this strategy.
“We have taken care of those facts. We are working hard to convince younger voters. I think by now we have done that,” he said.
On his expectations for the campaign against his former Umno colleague turned rival, Karim said he believed both sides would keep the contest clean and fair.
Warisan president Datuk Shafie Apdal also said he was confident that his party and the allied Pakatan Harapan would be able to secure the by-election, citing their previous success in the Sandakan parliamentary seat last May.
“We have proven, we can take down BN who have ruled Sabah for years. If we did it in Sandakan with DAP, surely we can win in Kimanis as well.
“But we still have to work hard and ensure there is cooperation within Pakatan Harapan, whether it is between Bersatu, DAP, Amanah or Warisan. We can show we are united and translate it to victory,” he said.
Polling will take place on January 18, with early voting on January 14.
