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TAWAU – PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s first public appearance in Sabah for the 15th general election (GE15) was greeted with empty seats and only 500 party supporters in one event, while a bigger crowd waited for him elsewhere.
While he spoke at the Calvary Crown Hall at noon here today, at the same time, over 1,000 PKR supporters were waiting for him at the Kung Ming primary school hall, also in Tawau.
PKR Tawau division chief Fung Thin Yien blamed Sabah Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Christina Liew, who is also the Tawau incumbent.
Fung said Liew had “hijacked” his work as the designated organiser of Anwar’s event, which he said was meant to be held at the Kung Ming primary school hall all the while.
Liew, however, went ahead to organise the same event at Calvary Crown Hall, he alleged.
As such, he said, the public was confused over two invitations sent for the event, called Jelajah Harapan, with both starting at the same time but at different venues.
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Fung said Sabah PKR had given him the responsibility to organise the programme using party funds.
However, he found out a few days before that Liew was also organising the same programme, using her own funds.
“PKR and PH supporters who had gathered in Kung Ming Hall had waited since 10am, and they were furious when they found out that Anwar had gone to Calvary Crown Hall instead.
“Anwar asked me to go to him in Calvary Crown Hall and to bring our supporters there too, but the attendees who were angry and disappointed refused to go,” he told The Vibes.
The Vibes later received a video circulated through WhatsApp showing several PKR supporters yelling angrily in front of Kung Ming Hall, saying that they will not support PKR if Liew were to be fielded as a candidate.
While @AnwarIbrahim received a warm welcome in his first public appearance in Sabah in the lead up to GE15, the day was not without incident.
— TheVibes.com (@thevibesnews) October 23, 2022
This video shows several PKR supporters yelling angrily, saying they will not support Sabah PH chairman Datuk Christina Liew. pic.twitter.com/ry2StUjehl
Fung later attended the event in Calvary Crown Hall and delivered a short speech on stage.
He said after much pleading, Anwar later made a brief appearance at Kung Ming Hall and was also in a rush to head to the airport for the next leg of his tour in Sandakan.
Fung said Liew had complicated the situation and had acted without considering how her actions would affect PKR’s support in Tawau.
“Whatever I do, I am doing it for the sake of the party – I want to get the people to support PKR in Tawau. I had contributed a lot of time and energy to the party, and I am really afraid that PKR would lose this seat,” he said.
Fung added that PKR supporters in Tawau are now angry, and what happens to PKR in Tawau’s seat in the coming election is now out of his control as he has done his best for the party.
Liew, when contacted by The Vibes, refused to comment on the matter.
Meanwhile, in a press conference later, Anwar said PKR’s candidates will be announced on October 28, but he is confident that PKR will secure the three seats it won in Sabah in the last general election – Tawau, Ranau, and Putatan.
“I have seen increasing support (in the three seats) and I am confident,” he said.
Anwar’s PH tour today continued in Hakka Hall Sandakan at 3pm, and the hall was full, with over 1,000 people.
He is expected to be in Tg Aru, Kota Kinabalu for the same event at 7.30pm today. – The Vibes, October 23, 2022
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