GE15: Candidates breaching GRS-BN unity, commotion in Tenom light up nomination day in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: Candidates breaching the understanding between Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Barisan Nasional (BN), coupled with the commotion at the Tenom nomination centre provided the spark on nomination day for the 15th General Election (GE15) in Sabah, yesterday.

GRS and BN who have struck a cordial relationship to administer the Sabah state government had pledged their commitment to not cross paths in the GE15 but the relationship was marred when parties that formed the coalition breached the understanding for the Beluran and Ranau parliamentary seats.

Bersatu vice president Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee who will be defending his Beluran parliamentary seat which he has retained since 1999, is contesting under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) banner but will face BN candidate Benedict Asmat in a five-cornered fight.

For the Ranau parliamentary seat, former Ranau MP Datuk Ewon Ebin will be contesting the seat under Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), and face incumbent Datuk Jonathan Yasin from Bersatu who is contesting under the GRS banner in a five-cornered fight.

Bersatu is a component party of GRS in Sabah but is a PN component party in the mainland while PBRS is a component party of BN.

In TENOM, the commotion at the nomination centre was following the Election Commission's decision to reject Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) president Datuk Peter Anthony's nomination papers.

According to Sabah police commissioner Datuk Idris Abdullah, the EC had rejected Peter's nomination because he has an outstanding case in court.

About 300 of his supporters who were at the nomination centre were angered by the decision and tried to crash into the DSP Antanom Hall at about 11.30am yesterday.

The incident ended at 2.38pm after a discussion with the relevant authorities and Peter later lodged a police report and pledged to seek legal redress at the High Court.

Tenom will see a five-cornered fight involving incumbent Noorita Sual (PH-DAP), Jamawi Jaafar (BN-UMNO), Ukim Buandi (Warisan) and two independent candidates Riduan Rubin and Peggy Chaw Zhi Ting.

Meanwhile, the Bugaya state seat by-election which will be held simultaneously with the GE15, sees a seven-cornered fight involving Jamil Hamzah from Warisan, Abd Aziz Mohd Ibno (BN-UMNO), Arastam Pandorog (PH-PKR), Mohd Hassan Abu Bakar (Pejuang), Nazmawati Walli (PBM), Karil Pg Kuraini (PPRS) and independent candidate Zulfadzli Shi Ahmad.

The seat fell vacant when incumbent Manis Muka Mohd Darah passed away in November 2020.

-- BERNAMA