BINTULU: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) candidate for the Jepak by-election, Iskandar Turkee, is confident of delivering the state seat with a bigger majority given the solid support and close cooperation among the component parties.
“God willing, with the leadership of our party president and Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and all our component party friends and leaders, we will win big,” he said.
The former state director of the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) said his focus would be to continue the legacy of the six-term former assemblyman, the late Datuk Talib Zulpilip.
“Of course, I will continue all the development agendas that have been planned by the late Datuk Talib Zulpilip and it is my responsibility to ensure all these plans will materialise.
“In addition, we will also come up with other plans for certain targeted groups in the constituency,” he told the reporters after the nomination process held at the Bintulu Civic Centre here today (Oct 21).
Commenting on the contest from Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) and Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) candidates, Iskandar said that in a democratic system, any party has the right to nominate their candidate, including in the Jepak state seat by-election; so as to allow the people (voters) to decide or make their choice.
The Jepak by-election, for which polling has been set on Nov 4, will see a three-cornered fight, with Iskandar facing off against Chieng Lea Ping from Aspirasi and PBK’s Stevenson Joseph Sumbang.
Stevenson had contested in Jepak in the 2021 state election, garnering only 587 votes, against GPS’s Datuk Talip Zulpilip who secured 6,277 votes, Raba’ah Tudin of Parti Sarawak Bersatu collected 2,034 votes while Independent Tuah Kazan received only 141 votes.
Meanwhile, Chieng, 64, said he would be focusing on land and social issues in the constituency if he is given a mandate by the people.
He also expressed confidence in winning the votes of young people despite not having strong machinery compared to GPS.
“Even though I don’t have a big machinery but we will start moving and fighting for victory, I will prove it,” he said.
The Jepak state seat fell vacant following Talib’s death on September 15 of kidney complications after being admitted to a medical centre on September 14.
The constituency has 22,804 registered voters, comprising 22,761 ordinary voters and 43 police personnel.
