KOTA KINABALU: Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) candidate for Kapayan Dr Edwin Bosi considers ‘fighting’ with Datuk Janie Lasimbang in Kapayan in the coming Sabah State Legislative Assembly election would be ‘a good rematch’.
“It will be a good rematch. We will see how it turns out,” he said when contacted on Thursday.
Dr Bosi served as a Member of the Sabah Legislative Assembly (SLA) for Kapayan from 2013 to 2018.
He was formerly a member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and was its first assemblyman of Kadazandusun descent. In the 2020 Sabah state election and under the United Sabah Party (PBS) flag, he contested again at his former state constituency, Kapayan, but lost to Datuk Jannie Lasimbang of DAP.
“I hope that the rakyat of Kapayan will give me another chance to serve them. I am sure PKDM will be in the government so that I will make good the aspiration of the Kapayan people.
“Together we can make Kapayan great, a safe and prosperous place to live in,” he added and said in order to help the people or one’s constituency, one must be elected and must be in the government.
Since he lost to Jannie, Dr Bosi has lived through the “life” of an opposition lawmaker. He felt sad to watch the problems, especially with the people, when he was unable to help because he had so many constraints.
“But I am elated to learn that Parti KDM, a truly local party, will be contesting in more than 40 seats and, God willing, can form the government with a simple majority,” he said, adding that he has studied the party’s manifesto and they are all very close to his heart.
He said that the aspiration of the rakyat is also the aspiration of the PKDM and wants the rakyat to not miss this opportunity to support and vote for PKDM during this PRN17.
He said the party leadership is credible, and he sees them as very educated, knowledgeable and experienced. For him those four criteria are the cornerstone in the making of great governance.
Dr Bosi admitted that he has no doubt that PKDM will deliver as per the manifesto.
Asked why he contests again, Dr Bosi said, “My political consciousness started at the campus. I was elected into the Majlis Pelajar Pelajar (MPP). I started politics with the opposition parties. I won on a DAP ticket and as an opposition lawmaker.
For Kapayan, no government funding was available, and he was deprived of the funds to help develop Kapayan. All he could do was to raise the problems at the Dewan Undangan Negeri and newspapers.
“Newspapers were more effective, as government agencies were quite responsive to these complaints. As an opposition lawmaker, one also must be able to make and establish friendships with the government ministers, especially the chief minister.
“Credit must be given where credit is due, not blindly opposed for the sake of opposing. I am happy and proud of what I have done and achieved while serving as ADUN, albeit as an opposition lawmaker,” he added.
He reminisces about days when he was still YB for Kapayan, where he raised so many pertinent questions in the written and verbal Q&A during the Assembly sittings. He also never misses the Assembly session.
“I believe a fair number of issues were addressed by the government. For example, when I protested about the inhumane treatment the government was giving to our own local people in chasing them out of so-called illegal encroachment, I did manage to get the government to reconsider their action.
“I realise that in order to help the people or one’s constituency, one must be elected and must be in the government. I have not given up on the rakyat of Kapayan. I have gone through success and failure, and I have not lost touch with the people,” he said.
Dr Bosi realised that only PKDM shares his aspiration, and when he was an opposition lawmaker and his hands were tied, he didn’t give up easily because his passion to serve continues to burn inside him.
“I hope that the rakyat of Kapayan will give me another chance to serve them. I am sure PKDM will be in the government so that I will make good the aspiration of the Kapayan people. Together we can make Kapayan great, a safe and prosperous place to live in,” he added.
Dr Bosi will be facing a 13-cornered fight for the constituency of almost 50,000 voters, the highest electorate in Sabah.
