UMNO is contesting 31 seats in the Sabah state election on Sept 26 but former chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman is not on the list of its candidates.

“Musa Aman did not seek to be a candidate of UMNO and BN (Barisan Nasional),” Sabah UMNO Liaison Committee chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin told a press conference after a get-together of BN and Bersatu leaders here today.

Bung Moktar, who is also Sabah BN chairman and MP for Kinabatangan, said he will contest in the Lamag constituency, one of the 13 new state seats in this election.

He said former Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak, who is also a former communications and multimedia minister, will contest the Usukan seat.

Seventy-three seats are up for contest in this state election, including the 13 new seats that were created following a redelineation exercise. Nomination is set for Saturday.

Another Sabah UMNO leader, Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan, a former minister in the prime minister’s department, is also not in the list of candidates.

Bung Moktar said the candidates were selected from among qualified people and regarded as having the potential to win the seats they are contesting.

"The candidates were picked based on their background, their being people-friendly and, most importantly, their being accepted by the people and having the potential to win,” he said.

Ninety-five per cent of the UMNO candidates are new faces, he said, adding that the party is also fielding two women candidates.

Earlier, addressing the event which was also attended by Sabah Bersatu chief Datuk Hajiji Noor, Bung Moktar said UMNO members have been advised against questioning the decision of the party leadership in selecting the candidates.

"I apologise to my friends. The most difficult challenge is deciding on the allocation of seats and selection of candidates,” Bung Moktar said.

-- BERNAMA