KOTA KINABALU:
Keadilan State information chief Dr Edwin Bosie said yesterday that his loss to Upko president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok in the Penampang parliamentary seat was a good “first try”. Edwin, who contested as a first- time candidate in a four-cornered fight for the seat, lost to Dompok who obtained a 3,063 majority vote after making a victorious comeback to Penampang and serving two terms as the Ranau parliamentarian. The other candidates who contested the seat were bio-technologist Dr Anthony Tibok who obtained 696 votes and businessman Willybroad Missih who received 404 votes. While admitting that he was a bit sad, Edwin said that the 10,337 votes given to him by the Penampang electorate was encouraging enough to give Dompok, who had 13,400 votes, a good scare. “I am a bit sad but at the same time I’m happy with the support I received. I believe I gave Tan Sri (Dompok) a run for his money,” he said when contacted yesterday. Edwin said it was exciting to see the strong shift in support for the opposition in Peninsular Malaysia, which he noted was markedly absent in Sabah. “It’s a shame that Sabahans did not feel the vibrations there and be a part of the big change. In the end, it is the Kadazans who lose because they woke up today (yesterday) and realise that they missed out on such a big opportunity,” he said. When asked about the opposition’s chances had there been a pact between Keadilan and DAP in Sabah, Edwin said it could have been better for both parties. “But that is in the past and there isno point talking about it now. What matters at this point is we continue working towards the next elections. “I think we may need to establish a Sabah plan, like how DAP created their Penang plan where they continued working until they eventually won Penang. “At the same time I think my team and I will need to meet up and analyse what our shortcomings are and improve ourselves,” he said, adding that they are also waiting for party advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and State liaison committee chairman Hj Ansari Abdullah to call for meetings.
