KOTA KINABALU, Sept 26  -- Sabah Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Datuk Hajiji Noor was among the five party leaders who won in the state snap election on Saturday.

The Sabah Bersatu chief who contested in Sulaman seat on PN’s ticket, won with 3,099 vote-majority, thus retaining retained the seat which he has held since 1990.

Hajiji’s charisma, leadership and personality, as well as his friendly attitude and commitment in discharging his duties as the elected representative for the state constituency proved to be factors that won the hearts of the people which were translated into the 5,919 votes he garnered in the snap polls.

 In the three-cornered fight, Hajiji defeated his nephew Datuk Aliasgar Basri of Warisan who obtained 2,820 votes and atuk Rekan Hussien of Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) who secured only 253 votes.

Meanwhile, Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin won in Lamag, which was one of the 17 new seats contested in this state election.

The victory made Bung Moktar, 61, the first elected assemblyman for the state constituency.

Bung Moktar, who is also Kinabatangan MP, defeated his strongest contender Mohd Ismail Ayob who is Warisan Youth deputy chief with 661-vote majority after securing 3,035 votes against Mohd Ismail’s 2,374.

The three other candidates namely Razman Mayah (PCS), Sairin Abd Rahman (Parti Perpaduan Rakyat Sabah) and Junny @ Karuak Abdullah (Independent) each lost their deposits.

Other party leaders who won in the snap polls were Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, who retained his Senallang seat.

The Warisan president, however, won with a reduced majority of 4,631 votes compared to 5,909 vote-majority he secured in the 14th General Election two years ago.

This time around, Mohd Shafie obtained 6,363 votes against his nearest rival who is also his nephew, Norazman Utoh Nain (PN) who secured 1,732 votes in the five-cornered fight.

Other candidates, namely Mohammad Ramzan Abdul Wahab (USNO) obtained 61 votes, Madjalis Lais (PCS) 51 votes and Datu Pg Ahmad Datu Ali Alam (PPRS) gained 39 votes.

Another winner among the party leaders was Sabah PKR chairman Datuk Christina Liew, who is also Sabah Deputy Chief Minister.

Liew retained her seat in Api-Api with 5,347 vote-majority after defeating her eight challengers, who include several top party leaders in Sabah.

She garnered 7,796 votes against her nearest rival Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai who is Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) deputy president who obtained 2,449 votes.

All her seven other challengers, namely Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president Datuk Chin Su Phin, PCS ddeputy president Datuk Pang Yuk Min, Chong Tze Kuin (Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah), Lo Yau Foh (PPRS) and three Independents - Sim Sie Hong, Ng Chun Sua and Marcel Jude lost their deposits.

In Sandakan, Sabah DAP chairman Datuk Frankie Poon Ming Fung retained the Tanjong Papat state seat after securing a 3,743-vote majority.

The Sabah Health and People’s Wellbeing Minister who contested under Warisan’s ticket polled 5,900 votes defeating his rival, Ken Yong from PN who only managed 2,157 votes in the seven-cornered fight.

The other five candidates namely Mohd Yunus Apil (USNO), Chung Yu Seng (PCS), Lam Jin Dak (Liberal Democratic Party), Jamal Ali (Parti Perpaduan Rakyat Sabah) and Noraini Sulong (Independent) all lost their deposits.

In the 14th general election, Poon won the Tanjong Papat seat with a majority of 1,816 votes defeating former Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah who contested under a Barisan Nasional ticket.

-- BERNAMA