SUNDAY-9TH MARCH 2008-YEE SURVIVES SCARE; LIEW ACCEPTS DEFEAT

Yee survives scare; Liew accepts defeat

KOTA KINABALU:
BN-PBS incumbent Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai survived a scare in the Api-Api state constituency, winning by a slim 174-vote majority. Returning Officer Alijus Sipil announced close to midnight that Yee polled 3,419 votes to edge Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s (PKR) Christina Liew who garnered 3,245 votes. Yee’s majority this time is a far cry from his 2,933-vote majority in the 2004 general election. Liew admitted that she was unlucky not to receive many from the postal votes. “I have nine and Yee has 400.. .around that number,” she said as she accepted the defeat with an open heart. Liew had asked for a re-count prior to the announcement of the result but withdrew it at the last minute. “I was told that I was leading in the State seat and even Parliamentary seat and that is why I’m here (Maksak Hall),” she said. “But, at the end of the day, I did not. If you look at it, I’m well under the four percent and by right I can ask for a recount and I did. “However, after consulting my constitutional lawyer, I did not pursue. I accept the defeat and I think the people have chosen BN to lead them for another five years.. .I respect the decision and the privilege should go to Yee,” Liew said. Liew went on to say that Yee should be given time to get on with his task and let the people judge him. Nevertheless, Liew lamented that the failure to reach an agreement with other opposition parties on seat allocations had cost them dear in the 12th General Election. “We just missed a golden opportunity,” she added, while congratulating DAP candidate Hiew King Chew for winning the Kota Kinabalu Parliamentary seat.