KOTA KINABALU – Even before the names of Pejuang’s candidates in Sabah was revealed, two state leaders have come out to express their unhappiness at not being nominated for the 15th general election (GE15).
Ariffin Dzulkiflee and Ismail Adas, the party’s coordinators for Tuaran and Kota Belud respectively, have vented their dissatisfaction to state chief Nicholas Sylvester for not giving them the candidacies despite the groundwork they have initiated there.
Pejuang, the leading party leading of the Gabungan Tanah Air (GTA) coalition, had not yet named all its candidates when Ariffin and Ismail expressed their unhappiness.
“We have been working hard from the start as coordinators for the two federal constituencies, using our own funds without any support from the party.
“I am a bit disappointed that the candidates revealed to us are not from our areas,” said Ariffin.
He believes that they were not nominated because they have been critical to the state’s top leadership, claiming that they were called rebels for doing so.
Ariffin said they are prepared to leave the party if they feel they have been played by party leaders.
“We have already prepared all the machinery and now we are not sure what will happen.
“If things do not go our way, we intend not to support whoever their candidates are in the election,” he said.
GTA is expected to reveal its lineup at the Bangi Convention Centre in Selangor at about 1pm today.
It could not be ascertained how the two coordinators were able to know that they were not nominated.
They said that the list of GTA candidates had been revealed to them much earlier.
The state Pejuang Supreme Council members are expected to explain the reason for the controversial exclusions at about 3pm here today. – The Vibes, November 2, 2022
