Kuala lumpur: Thonny Chee, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for the Api-Api state seat in the 17th Sabah State Election (PRN), has responded to criticism regarding his proficiency in Mandarin. Chee addressed claims suggesting his limited Mandarin fluency could hinder his ability to communicate with the Chinese community, asserting that his fluency in Malay and English would suffice.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Chee emphasized that language should not be a barrier to effective service in his constituency, as many residents are well-versed in both Malay and English. “I know that in Api-Api, the Chinese community is fluent in both Malay and English. So I can use these two languages to communicate with them. Those trying to play up this issue are actually not being smart because I see no issue at all,” Chee stated.

Chee made these remarks during an interaction with voters at various locations around Api-Api. The event saw participation from Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafru
l Tengku Abdul Aziz and PKR Vice-President Chang Lih Kang. Chee also clarified that while he understands Mandarin, he refrains from responding in the language to avoid miscommunication due to its complex intonations.

“Mandarin has many different intonations. Sometimes the pronunciation is the same, but a slight change in tone can alter the meaning. So instead of hanging myself by speaking Mandarin, it’s better for me to speak in Malay or English, which they also understand,” Chee explained. He added that he is actively improving his Mandarin with the help of his teacher, Chang.

Api-Api is one of the constituencies under the Kota Kinabalu parliamentary seat, alongside Likas and Luyang. The Election Commission (EC) has set November 29 as the polling day, with early voting scheduled for November 25.

For further updates on the 17th Sabah State Election, please visit https://prn.bernama.com/sabah/index.php.