KOTA KINABALU, Nov 17 — In a video, a woman from Kampung Sonsogon Magandai in Kota Marudu looks at the viewer to say it costs a sick person RM500 to charter a four-wheel drive to take them to the nearest hospital in town.

The amount represented an entire month’s income for some of the villagers here, who are mostly subsistence farmers and rubber tappers.

"But the road conditions coming up here... you’ll cry. It’s not for the faint-hearted so don’t attempt it if you don’t have the strength,” she said with a bitter laugh, as the photo of a despondent teacher with his motorcycle mired in mud appeared in the clip.

The video was posted on social media by Muda’s sole candidate in Sabah, Shahrizal Denci, and reshared by Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat candidate Datuk Wetrom Bahanda’s social media and elsewhere.

In August, Sinar Harian reported that a man had to walk home in the middle of the night holding his dead baby because a charity’s van, which had offered to take them, got stuck on the road mid-drive back to Kampung Samparita Tengah, about 30km away from Kampung Sonsogon.

His wife had gone ahead of him on foot to get their neighbours help, because there was no phone connection in the area.

Similar tales were not atypical for the area, usually involving arduous treks to a school or hospital, while reports of dilapidated classrooms and homes have been reported for decades.

Videos and photos of the roads in the Magandai area that were so broken that heavily modified four-wheel drive vehicles were needed to traverse them were commonplace online.

It is also these stories that were why Parti Bersatu Sabah president Datuk Maximus Ongkili is said to in the fight of his life to claim a seat that he has effectively won six times, both when it was known as Bandau and, now, Kota Marudu.

His rivals and critics say it is time for him to step down, not least because of his ailing health, but because of the palpable lack of development in the seat.

Poorest of the poor

The northern Sabah district of Kota Marudu has consistently ranked among the poorest in the country. It’s accompanied by neighbours Pitas, Kudat, Beluran and the interior district of Tongod. In 2019, the Statistics Department reported an average income of RM2,428 here, with an absolute poverty rate of 46.1 per cent, albeit ahead of Pitas at 53.6 per cent and Tongod’s 56.6 per cent.

It is also one of around eight federal constituencies where the population is mostly non-Muslim ethnic tribes, known colloquially Kadazan Dusun Murut, or just KDM. Out of the 80,735 registered voters, around 83 per cent are mostly from the Dusun, Rungus or Bajau ethnicities.

Despite his 27 years, Ongkili said he still needed more time in the seat as there was unfinished business.

He also rejected the statistics showing Kota Marudu as among the country’s poorest districts, by claiming the economy in the main town as quite strong despite the empirical evidence otherwise.

As for his health, he said he has a clean bill of health from his doctors for the stroke he suffered in 2020, even if his occasional speech impediments lead some to believe otherwise.

Among his biggest supporters is Sabah chief minister and state Bersatu chief, Datuk Hajiji Noor, who called him a tireless advocate for state’s rights as contained in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

He also credited Ongkili with roads and other development in the area, especially the town that has grown from two rows of shoplots into several commercial areas.

Certainly, there is sign of activity in the town’s economy. In its confines are four banks, and various chain stores ranging from fast food such KFC, Marrybrown, and Pizza Hut to more trendy outlets such as Tealive and G-tea. There is even a Mr DIY.

Ongkili said these and more set the bar for his would-be successor.

"For me, after nearly three decades here, I have proved to the people that I have transformed Kota Marudu to be one of the most vibrant and developed districts in Sabah. So, for anyone who wishes to take over from me, they will need to do better than me,” said Ongkili.

Time to change tack

As impressive as his achievements were for Ongkili, there were undeniably those in the constituency who believed others should be allowed to try and do better, such as the woman from the video, who declared she was wholly against him and pleaded for a road from the eventual winner, whoever it may be.

Shahrizal, a computer engineer turned agriculturist, firmly believe he could be the person to do that for her and others in Kota Marudu.

Speaking to Malay Mail on the phone while travelling between campaign stops, he cited half a dozen examples of the residents’ woes, including the abject poverty of some, the persistent lack of basic infrastructure such as roads, and the absence of job and economic opportunities.

"The development he is talking about just doesn’t benefit a big part of the population. Too many are still too poor, they earn less than RM500 a month. There are micro businesses but they cannot expand because the internet is bad.

"There has been a time when the water supply was out for a month. How is this acceptable in 2022?” he said.

The constituency of Kota Marudu is spread across 2,282sq km; while not even close to the largest constituency, which is Kinabatangan at 17,877sq km, but still vast, and includes both hilly and flat terrain.

As the interview went on, the phone connection kept breaking and, eventually, Shahrizal became unreachable as he approached his destination in Kampung Kirangawan, some 25 minutes outside Kota Marudu town.

Shahrizal accepted that his was a monumental challenge to unseat the federal minister Ongkili, but also noted that Wetrom, a former Umno and Bersatu division leader, was an equal heavyweight in the area.

Wetrom, an assemblyman in Bandau, one of the state constituencies in Kota Marudu, left the ruling coalition some weeks ago when he realised he would not get to contest the seat himself, and offered himself as candidate to Parti Warisan before settling down as deputy president of PKDM.

"Someone like that with no integrity cannot be a good leader. Jumping from one party to another, it’s not right. He is looking for power,” said Shahrizal, who said that both these leaders had the financial muscle to duke it out.

Observers agree that the main fight is between Ongkili and Wetrom, but said it was too close to call.

In the first week, the sentiment on the ground was that Ongkili had been in power too long and did not have much to show for it.

People were also curious about what the others like Shahrizal, Warisan’s Datuk Jilid Kuminding, Pejuang Tanah Air's Mohd Azmie Zulkiflee and independent candidate Norman Tulang had to offer.

Kuminding is a former diplomat who had previously served as Ongkili's private secretary in 2004. Both he and Shahrizal may also pull some votes their way that may split votes in favour of Ongkili.

But there was a lot of talk in favour of Wetrom whose party logo, the Rafflesia, has arguably won the flag wars.

The ambitious businessman had been working the ground for years and garnered support. Together with his party president Datuk Peter Anthony, who himself was disqualified from contesting, their campaign machinery has proven to be formidable.

Marcellus Jimis, a business owner in the Bandau, said that Wetrom was well liked by locals who have seen the visible improvements in the two years since he was elected.

"He’s built roads to three villages. Kampung Tagayamut, Pinatau and Mengaris 3 are all connected now.

"He’s also known for helping many of the young students, with university fees, computers... whenever there’s a funeral, he will also give a donation,” he said.

The fact that he "jumped ship” did not factor with the villagers who just want their elected representative to help them make their lives better.

Knowing that he was facing tough competition, Ongkili spent the week reinforcing his campaign by getting the support of other component parties in the GRS coalition, most notably his former rival Datuk Maijol Mahap, the Bersatu Kota Marudu information chief and three-time opponent for the Kota Marudu seat.

In the last general election, Ongkili secured a majority of 1,774 votes against Mahap, who contested under the Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (PHRS) ticket.

Former Tandek assemblyman Datuk Anita Baranting, who is now with Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku, also joined his campaign.

It was reported that Ongkili flew into Kampung Gana by helicopter, a hilly area not far from Sonsogon Magandai, with considerably better access. He was accompanied by Tandek assemblyman Hendrus Anding.

"We are feeling buoyed by the support. With four days to go, we will be beefing up the campaign. All wings and divisions are pushing hard, so we can maintain momentum,” said a party aide.

Analysts speculate that Ongkili, due to the GRS/ PBS brand and the support of the ruling coalition's machinery, may pull out a narrow win.

"They fight is between the two now. With Undi18, there are many new and young voters and the game is different. They do not hold the same sentimental value towards PBS, as the oldest party in Sabah and their proud history,” said one analyst who did not want to be named.

"If Ongkili manages to pull out a win for the seventh time, it will be a major achievement. It may be his last so he should think about going out with a bang” he said.

As for the thousands of villagers of Kampung Sonsogon Magandai and their neighbours, there is light at the end of the tunnel with an RM279 million allocation for a 40km road in the area, approved by the BN government under the 11th Malaysia plan.

Although there has yet to be sign of constriction, it is due to be completed in 2023 but for the villagers, it is long overdue.