By Lian Cheng
BINTULU, Oct 21: Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s (GPS) top leadership has kept the Jepak candidacy under such tight wraps that its candidate Iskandar Turkee found out about it at about the same as the public when news of it broke on Wednesday, Oct 18.
The unexpected candidate of mixed Vaie and Iban parentage said his candidacy was a surprise to everyone, including him when he first found out about it from news reports.
Hailing from Kampung Sebiew, which is now known as Kampung Sebezau, he said he has never left Jepak as he would return to his hometown every year.
Iskandar, 54, is from a well established and influential family in Bintulu, whose grandfather is Penghulu Haji Hamzah Keria, thus giving him an edge in the Jepak by-election compared to the two other candidates namely Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) candidate Chieng Lea Phing, a Chinese business from Bintulu and Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) candidate Stevenson Joseph Sumbang, a former policeman from Sibu.
“I have all my relatives here, from all the villagers. I have relatives from Kampung Jepak (which is made up by nine villages),” Iskandar told the media after his successful nomination as GPS candidate as Bintulu Civic Centre today.
Top on his list as GPS candidate, he stressed, is to ensure GPS wins gloriously with a solid majority.
“I believe under the Premier’s (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg) leadership and friends of component parties, God willing, we will be able to achieve our designated target,” said Iskandar when asked if he was confident to garner a larger majority than the previous election in this by-election.
In the 2021 Sarawak Election, Talib retained the Jepak seat by securing 6,277 votes, against PSB’s Rabaáh Tudin (2,034 votes), PBK’s Stevenson (587 votes) and independent candidate Tuah Kazan (141 votes).
Meanwhile, Iskandar’s very first task should he win the election, is to continue the legacy of late Jepak assemblyman Datuk Talib Zulpilip and follow through the latter’s development plans to ensure that their deliveries.
On the participation of his two opponents namely Chieng and Stevenson, he said Sarawak is a democracy and anyone can send their representatives to join the fray.
Apart from the 500 supporters with flags, GPS today came in full force with GPS chairman Abang Johari leading a full team of component party leaders, among them being Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) president Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, Parti Rakyat Sarawak president Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) deputy presidents Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who is also GPS Jepak by-election State level Coordination Committee chairman, as well as Progressive Democratic Party deputy president Datuk Henry Harry Jinep. — DayakDaily
