TAWAU: Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Datuk Christina Liew Chin Jin lost to the candidate fielded by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) Lo Su Fui with a majority of 3,800 votes in a six-cornered contest in the Tawau parliamentary seat for the 15th General Election (GE15).

The parliamentary seat Returning Officer Mohd Shoffian Mohd Said announced that Lo, from Parti Bersatu Sabah, defeated Liew who won the seat in GE14.

Thanking the voters, Lo said he did not see the victory as a personal victory rather it was a commitment to developing Tawau in the next five years.

"We will discuss with all the local leaders in Tawau to draw up a plan to develop Tawau more effectively for the people," he told reporters.

The lawyer who obtained 19,865 votes triumphed over Liew (16,065 votes), Chen Ket Chuin of Warisan (11,263 votes), Pejuang's Herman Amdas (1,067 votes), and independent candidates Mohd Salleh Bacho (1,776 votes), and Datuk Chin Chee Syn (651 votes).

In PENAMPANG, Pertubuhan Kinabalu Progresif Bersatu (UPKO) vice president Datuk Ewon Benedick beat Warisan deputy president Datuk Darell Leiking to take the Penampang parliamentary seat.

Returning Officer for the constituency, Francis Chong announced that Ewon who is representing PH defeated Darell who held the seat for two terms with a majority of 14,410 votes.

Ewon who is also the assemblyman for Kadamaian told reporters that he saw himself as an underdog who was just making a debut in Penampang, adding that Darrel had contacted him to congratulate him on the success.

Ewon said he would start work immediately to help Penampang folks.

In the four-cornered tussle, Ewon obtained 29,066 votes, Darell (14,656 votes), Kenny Chua Teck Ho of GRS received 6,719 votes, and Richard Jimmy (independent) obtained 289 votes.

-- BERNAMA