GE15: Upko bets on new face for Federal minister seat

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Felix (left), Rowindy (second from the left) and Peter (right) with the Upko President and vice President after the naming of candidates in the Upko Headquarters, in Penampang.
PENAMPANG - Facing the 'big names' in the Beluran Parliamentary seat is not an obstacle for Pertubuhan Kinabalu Progresif Bersatu (Upko) candidate Felix Joseph Saang to continue his intention to change the government and form a Pakatan Harapan (PH) government through the 15th General Election (GE15).

The 48-year old Upko Youth Chief said his intentions to change the government as what was desired by Malaysians especially in Sabah was the contribution towards finding a reform in this election.

"It is a monumental challenge and there is a hight likelihood we will face with a federal minister that is an old name in politics.

"However, for us in Beluran, our message wanted contribute towards the innovation wanted by the people of Sabah, we want to contribute towards forming a government that is transparent, with integrity for the country to progress, free from the corruption that brought down the country.

"This may have caused among the three poorest states in Malaysia to be placed in Beluran that we had tried to change, and I believe that the Beluran people have staterd to realise it," he said at the press conference of the naming of candidates in the Upko Headquarters, here, on Monday.

Felix was among the five candidates representing Upko and was announced to contest in the Beluran Parliamentary seat as well as expected to face its incumbent Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee who was the Agriculture and Food Industry Minister.

The single Upko woman candidate Rowindy Lawrence, 40, would face the bitter challenge when she faces the incumbent Kimanis Parliamentary seat representing the Deputy Education Minister II Datuk Mohamad Alamin.

"This was another challenge for me however, armed with the enthusiasm of all the PH women leadership, I am confident that I can win the seat in order to ensure the continuity of all PH's women's plans," said Datuk Ewon Benedick's former special officer when he was holding the position of Minister in Sabah Rural Development Ministry under the Warisan Plus government.

Meanwhile the Libaran Parliamentary seat candidate Dr Peter Naintin took the challenge to contest even though the area contested were mostly in the Muslim community.

"When Upko was rebranded, the people in the East coast where most of its people were from the river tribe the Tagayan people were Muslim.

"However, I am not worried because we have been moving since 2017 and when moving in every village, we saw the people who needed the change in Libaran including its youth.

"The challenge was big because we will face with the 'giants' that have a lot of resources, but I believe with the grassroots the people's voice would raise the changes," he said.

Peter, 44, who was the Upko Deputy Secretary General covering the Libaran Upko Division Chief who had the background as an engineer and was experience in developing urban and rural cities for 20 years.