SUNDAY-9TH MARCH 2008-NEWLY ELECTED KK MP-DAP DR HIEW KING CHEU

NEWLY ELECTED KK MP – DAP DR HIEW KING CHEU

KOTA KINABALU:
“Please don’t call me YB.” That was the first message from newly elected Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament Dr Hiew King Cheu. The DAP stalwart garnered 9,464 votes to edge Christina Liew of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) with a tiny majority of 106 votes as the latter received 9,358 votes. There was no first-time lucky for Chin Teck Ming (BN-PBS) who polled 8,420 votes while Independent candidate Kong Yu Kiong lost his deposit after managing to collect only 341 votes. The Kota Kinabalu parliamentary seat was previously held by Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai, who gave way to Chin in yesterday’s polls. “We in DAP do not need the title ‘Yang Berhormat’ (YB),” Hiew told reporters when met after the announcement of result was made by Returning Officer Alijus Sipil at Maksak Hall near here. “In fact, this victory is not mine. It is the people’s voice; the people won the seat, not me.. .it belongs to the people. “This is very important because I will have a job to do that is to bring the people’s voices and grouses of the people of Sabah to the Parliament level,” he said. While thanking his family members, supporters as well as the press for their strong support, Hiew predicted that the next five years will be a strong struggle for him in his capacity as the new MP for Kota Kinabalu. “There are many problems to be brought up at the Parliamentary level and among them is the illegal immigrants issue.., all this needs to be tackled,” he said. “In this round I won the MP seat, neaning we will have a voice in the Parliament...I promise you all that it will a loud voice,” said Hiew. The victory for Hiew yesterday was his first in four tries after losing in 1990, 2003 by-election and 2004 general election. When asked to comment on the performance of fellow DAP members Joan Goh Penn Nee and Fung Kong Wing who contested in Likas and Luyang respectively, Hiew said he was impressed. Joan narrowly lost to incumbent Liew Teck Chan (BN-SAPP) in Likas state seat by 862 votes. Liew garnered 4,097 votes and Joan polled 3,235 while PKR’s Yap Siew Kiong polled 1,888 and Independent Kong Yu Kiong lost his deposit with only 182 votes. Fung, meanwhile, polled 3,571 against incumbent Melanie Chia (BN-SAPP) who collected 5,073 while PKR’s Alexander Wong secured 2,794. Independent candidate Bernard Chin lost his deposit with only 92 votes. The strong campaign by the two DAP candidates won them votes, which contributed to the party’s victory in the Kota Kinabalu. “In Likas and Luyang, there is a change in the pattern of voting where the voters leaned towards the opposition,” Hiew said. “Fung and Joan have done a very good job. Joan in particular surprised me where as a first-timer, she exceeded my expectation. “She (Joan) will be a future star of DAP in Sabah and I’m sure she can make it in the next election... she has the talents performing as an opposition member,” said Hiew. Joan said: “Although I did not win, I’m happy to reduce the majority of BN in Likas.. .not too bad for new kid on the block.” Meanwhile, Hiew also hailed a breakthrough victory for DAP in Sri Tanjung where Jimmy Wong became the first candidate from the party to win a state seat. “My colleague and I will work as a team to ensure that the problems in Sabah will be addressed in Parliament and State for Jimmy Wong,” he said.