Pairin refutes claims

SANDAKAN, Oct 27 (Daily Express) --- PBS President Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan denied that Barisan Nasional candidate Datin Linda Tsen Thau Lin was not proficient in Bahasa Malaysia or that the party lacked capable leaders to the extent that it always resorted to picking only close family members.

"How many people actually said she cannot speak the language?" retorted Pairin.

"We know that she can speak in Bahasa Malaysia, English and Mandarin. Not only that, Linda has also experience in politics as PBS Wanita vice-chief."

Critics claimed that the widow of the late Datuk Edmund Chong Ket Wah hardly spoke Bahasa, which they said would be a hindrance in discharging her duties in Batu Sapi parliament constituency, should she win the Nov. 4 by-election.

Pairin said unlike SAPP candidate Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee and PKR candidate, Ansari Ibrahim, who had participated in previous elections, BN decided to field a woman candidate in Batu Sapi also to indicate a change to the political landscape in Sabah.

The Batu Sapi and Sandakan Parliament seats never had a woman MP before.