By Mu Vitet
KOTA KINABALU: Veteran politician Datuk David Chong Ket Sui said the unprecedented number of contestants in the 17th Sabah Election reflects the state’s economy has strengthened since the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) led the state government.
This year’s polls have drawn a staggering 596 candidates from 23 political parties and 74 independents contesting 73 seats on Nov 29, the highest in Malaysian history, he said.
It is estimated that the Election Commission will collect RM2,980,000 from the deposit of RM5,000 paid by each candidate, he said.
Based on a rough estimation, with each candidate spending at least RM250,000 to run their machinery and campaigns, about RM149,000,000 is expected to be injected into the market, he added.
Given this scenario, Chong challenged detractors who claim Sabah is poor and urged the people to recognise the state’s ongoing development and economic progress over the past five years.
He said the situation is a clear sign that Sabah’s economy is moving forward, given that so many parties and individuals have the financial means to fund campaigns across the state.
“People keep saying Sabah is poor, but look at what is happening. Never in Malaysian history have we seen so many candidates.
“And never have we seen so much money spent on campaigning. Only Sabah can do this. It shows that the economy is alive, people have money, and confidence is high,” said Chong.
He was referring to the thousands of political flags, banners and billboards mushrooming throughout the state as every contesting party and candidate tries to outdo one another.
He added that the large number of contenders demonstrates that political participation in Sabah remains vibrant and shows that parties have the resources to compete.
