DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng urged political parties not to challenge Warisan for the Bugaya state seat in Sabah following the death of its incumbent Manis Muka Mohd Darah.

He said Warisan should be allowed to retain the seat uncontested.

Lim’s call came a day after he also urged a no-contest in Gerik, a parliamentary seat won by Umno in the last general election.

The seat was won by Hasbullah Osman who died from a heart attack on Tuesday.

“DAP extends our condolences to Warisan and the family of Manis Muka Mohd Darah, the Bugaya assemblyman, who passed away from kidney complications.

“The late Manis Muka was a popular politician having retained her seat with an overwhelming 6,005-vote majority in the recent Sabah general elections,” he said today.

Lim said the new Sabah government led by Chief Minister Hajiji Noor should respect the mandate of Bugaya voters in the recent state elections and put public health and safety over electioneering in the coming by-election.

“As a Covid-19 positive patient himself, Hajiji clearly knows the danger posed by Covid-19 infections following the Sabah state election.

“Putting the rakyat first over politics will be a good start for the new chief minister, who just recovered from Covid-19.

“Allowing Warisan to win Bugaya uncontested will prove to the rakyat that Hajiji is committed to battling and overcoming the Covid-19 threat together with all parties,” Lim said.

In the last elections, Manis Muka retained the Bugaya seat with a 6,005 majority after polling 8,557 votes in a six-cornered fight, which featured candidates from Bersatu, PPRS, USNO, PCS and two independents.

The Warisan member had yet to take her oath as an assemblyman as she was quarantined earlier after coming into contact with a Covid-19 patient.

This is the second time within weeks that Warisan had suffered a blow after its permanent chairman Liew Vui Keong, who was Batu Sapi MP, died on October 2.

The Batu Sapi by-election is due on December 5. – November 18, 2020.