SEMPORNA:Residents in the Bugaya state constituency have expressed various opinions on the state seat by-election scheduled to be held on Jan 16.

However, many agree if the by-election is postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will also accept if an emergency is declared in Bugaya.

Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) vice president Datuk Jaujan Sambakong said the party has no issue if the government wants to declare an emergency to protect the people against the threat of COVID-19.

“We should take a break. The incumbent (Bugaya state assemblyman) had just died while the spread of COVID-19 is far from over.

“We have to focus on this threat first. It is best to tone down political issues...the time will come (for the election to be held),” said the Sulabayan state assemblyman.

The Bugaya seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent Datin Manis Muka Mohd Darah of Warisan on Nov 17, due to kidney problems.

Semporna Bumiputera Tour Operators Association chairman Kerino Jalani said there was a need for an emergency to be declared similar to Batu Sapi parliamentary seat by-election, to avoid a spike of COVID-19 as happened after the Sabah state election.

“Semporna district was placed under the Targeted Enhanced Movement Control Order (TEMCO) and six villages were placed under the EMCO for more than a month with several clusters detected,” he said.

A community development officer for Bugaya state constituency, Abdul Hussin Kiamsin, 57, urged the government to consider the safety of the people before proceeding with the by-election.

Mad Nain Nasehi, 57, from Kampung Sungai Gajah said the villagers totally understand the responsibility to vote but their health and safety are more important.

“We want to vote but let there be no more COVID-19 cases. The number of positive cases has been decreasing and we hope it continues.

“If not, we hope a new date will be set because we don’t want the same situation after the state election to happen again. Semporna is among the worst impacted areas and many were infected with COVID-19,” he said.

Meanwhile, Amir Baha Pagagah, 58, a voter from Kampung Sungai Buaya was confident that the government would make the best decision over the Bugaya by-election.

“If the COVID-19 situation continues to improve, the by-election must be held,” he said.

Another voter from Kampung Bugaya, Khasyirah Adilun, 40, on the other hand, hoped that all quarters view seriously compliance to the standard operating procedures if the by-election is to be held anyway.

She suggested that a disposable brush is used to mark the voter’s index finger with ink, instead of dipping them into the ink bottle, while campaign should be held via loudspeakers.

Mohamad Asran Abdullah, 30, from Kampung Labuan Senang was also ready to vote when needed but hoped there would be no door-to-door campaign and gatherings to avoid the spread of COVID-19.

Manis Muka, who was also Semporna Warisan Wanita chief, defended the Bugaya state seat with a 6,005-vote majority in a seven-cornered fight.

The Election Commission set Jan 4 for nomination and Jan 12 for early voting for the Bugaya state seat by-election.

-- BERNAMA