Pasar Kim Fung is where the action is


Irwan Majid

FOR most Sandakan folk, the local markets are not just a place to buy daily grocery needs, like the one in Mile 4 Bandar Kim Fung, it is also where friends meet for breakfast, read the papers and get their morning coffee fix. 

This is why many politicians are campaigning at the local markets, including the ongoing Sandakan by-election, which ends at the stroke of midnight tomorrow.

The market in Mile 1.5 of Jalan Utara, near Kg BDC, and the one in Bandar Sandakan are also constantly busy with visitors, either for food or fresh goods. 

The market offers fresh vegetables, fruit, fish, meat, plus fried noodles, soup noodles, dumplings, a local dish kon lou meen, Indonesian bakso or soto and ikan bakar. 

Most of these stalls are owned by locals as they hire local and IMM13 holders to run their stalls daily. 

For most vegetable, fish and meat vendors, they would operate half the day, while some of the food operators will continue right until the night. 

The Sandakan by-election is a five-cornered fight with Vivian Wong, the daughter of incumbent MP, Stephen Wong who died on March 28, trying to retain the seat for DAP. 

She is expected to face a tough fight from Parti Bersatu Sabah vice-president cum former Batu Sapi MP Linda Tsen. 

Three other independent candidates include former Sabah Amanah chief Hamzah Abdullah, activist Chia Siew Yong and former Sandakan parliamentary office administration officer Sulaiman Abdul Samad.

There are more than 40,000 voters in the constituency, comprising 51% Chinese, Sabah Bumiputera (26%), Malay (16%) and others (7%). – May 9, 2019.


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