SAPP goes for Batu Sapi, Pakatan faces pressure

Local Sabah opposition party SAPP has confirmed that it will be contesting in the Nov 4 Batu Sapi by-election, putting pressure on Pakatan Rakyat to withdraw in order to avoid a three-way fight.

Party president Yong Teck Lee today announced that they are going in with all guns blazing, declaring that a win will signal the beginning of the end of the BN's reign in the Land Below the Wind.

"Because this is just a by-election, it won't cause an immediate change in the state government, but SAPP will shake the BN, whose members will panic and try to run from BN," he said at a press conference after the party's supreme council meeting at its headquarters today.

Repeating his party's goal of taking over Sabah in the next general elections, Yong said a victory for SAPP would go far towards rekindling the confidence of Sabahans in taking charge of their own state.

He also hinted at the importance of Sapp winning this contest, stressing that the party is adamant on winning bumiputera-majority seats such as Batu Sapi.

Indicating was the series of annual general meetings of SAPP branches all over Sabah and Labuan between Sept 25 and Oct 10 that served simultaneously as dry-runs in the preparations for the election.

"Preparations have included a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis, assessment of local organisation strengths, issues and leadership," said Yong of the meetings.

This by-election is seen by many as a litmus test for Yong's party, percieved as the only credible home-grown opposition party after it pulled out of the ruling BN coalition in 2008.

Yong, however, avoided giving a straight answer when asked how he rated SAPP's chances in the contest next month, choosing instead to taunt Umno for claiming Batu Sapi is their "stronghold".

"What are our chances? Batu Sapi is a traditional BN safe seat," he said.

Asked whether he would offer himself as SAPP's candidate in Batu Sapi, Yong said the party had not yet come to the stage of idenitifying its candidate.

"The candidate is a matter of utmost importance in any election, but at the same time, there is a proper time for everything.

"Today (we announce) to contest. Our candidate will be announced most likely on Oct 23 at 9.45am in Sandakan, when we launch our new SAPP office for the Karamunting and Batu Sapi areas," he said.

With Sapp confirmed going for the parliamentary seat, it so far looks like a one-on-one tussle with the BN most likely to field a candidate from component member PBS, whose treasurer-general Edmund Chong Ket Wah (left) held the seat for two terms before he died in a motorcycle accident in Kota Kinabalu last Saturday.

It is still unclear whether or not the Sabah Pakatan Rakyat will contest this by-election, though indications are that the young opposition coalition is keen on proving it is a credible alternative to the BN.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng strengthened speculations on the matter when he tweeted earlier today that both DAP and PKR want in on the by-election.

Sabah DAP chief Hiew King Cheu said a decision would only be made after Sabah Pakatan, which includes DAP, PKR and PAS, meet tomorrow afternoon.

"We will make our decision and then I will deliver our report to the national leadership in parliament on Monday. We will leave it to them to make the necessary announcements," said Hiew when contacted.

by: Joseph Sipalan