GE15: A beauty queen no more, I'm now a fighter - Jo-Anna

TUARAN - As if standing against two heavyweights in Tuaran wasn't a challenge enough, Jo-Anna Sue Henley Rampas now looks to overturn the stigma that hangs over her as a former beauty queen.

The Warisan candidate is up against United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) president Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau, who is the incumbent, and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, the current Tourism Sabah chairman and Kiulu state assemblyman. In fact, this will be the second time Jo-Anna and Joniston will be locking horns in an election, with the latter coming out tops in the race for the Kiulu state seat in the 14th general elections.

Now Jo-Anna, the Unduk Ngadau or Kaamatan Queen of 2007, wants people to see beyond her looks and realise that she is just as capable if not better than the two male stalwarts she is up against.

She said she calls on the spirit of the mythical Kadazandusun sacrificial maiden Hominodun as she seeks election as a member of parliament who will carry the voices of Sabahans concerned about their rights, heritage and well being.

"I hear voices saying that I am still 'green', but for me the fighting spirit must be there. If you want to make a change, you must do something," said Jo-Anna, 33, adding that there was a stigma placed upon her as people tend to believe she is all about her looks and nothing else.

"Yes, I used to be Unduk Ngadau in 2007 but that's an old story. Like Hominodun who was sacrificed in order for her starving community to survive, I am here to fight and put service of the people ahead of myself. Her legend transformed Sabah by ending the famine," said Jo-Anna.

While revered as a beauty queen, her foray into politics has been met with disapproving voices insinuating that she has nothing to offer beyond her looks.

"They say things like 'this is just an Unduk Ngadau'. But I have to tell them this is not just any Unduk Ngadau but this just like the legend of Hominodun, I will bring changes to Sabah," she told reporters in a gathering at the Tamparuli voting district center (PDM) here on Thursday night.

Responding to a question on the last stretch of campaigning before voting day this Saturday, Jo-Anna said she has received positive feedback, especially from young constituents in Tuaran since the beginning.

"They have a better understanding of where this election is an election that will determine their future. During the two weeks of this campaign, I have seen more young people who have come forward and as we can see today, there are many young people who are actually interested to know what this election is about and want to know what all this politics really is," she said.

The race for the Tuaran parliamentary seat will see a six-cornered contest, where besides Madius and Joniston, Jo-Anna will also face Muminin Norbinsha (Pejuang) and two independent candidates, Boby Lewat and Noortaip Suhaili@Sualee.

In GE14, a five-corner battle for the Tuaran parliamentary seat was won by Madius with 22,494 votes and a majority of 7,624.