Tawau MP's dispute resolution experience a necessary skill in Sabah politics

INTERVIEW | The political career of former Sabah deputy chief minister Christina Liew has not been a straightforward one but rather a testament to patience and resilience.

Indeed, she was only elected to Parliament at the fourth time of asking when she won the Tawau parliamentary seat in the historic 14th general election that saw the once omnipotent BN coalition defeated at the federal level.

She had previously lost when contesting the same seat for Parti Bersatu Sabah as far back as 1986 and had also suffered two defeats after joining PKR.

This came in the Gaya by-election in 2002 as well as a narrow defeat in the 2008 general election when running for the Kota Kinabalu parliamentary seat. She was also a losing candidate in the Likas state assembly by-election in 2001.

However, the tide has turned ever since she won the Api-Api state seat (which falls under the Kota Kinabalu parliamentary seat) in 2013 and Liew has gone on to retain it twice. She also made history as only the second female deputy CM of Sabah after Ariah Tengku Ahmad, who served in 1993-1994.

Following the latest political upheaval in Putrajaya that resulted in Ismail Sabri Yaakob replacing Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister but heading a very similar cabinet, Liew was left disappointed...