KOTA KINABALU – Sabahans may well find themselves wedged between a rock and a hard place in deciding who to vote for in the upcoming 15th general election (GE15), owing to the state’s convoluted political landscape.
On the national level, alliances between parties and coalitions are relatively clearer and more distinguishable as the respective candidates for prime minister have been made known beforehand.
Generally, the peninsula will see the participation of three main coalitions: Barisan Nasional (BN), Pakatan Harapan, and Perikatan Nasional (PN), with the addition of the yet-to-be-registered Gerakan Tanah Air.
However, political parties in Sabah have taken a different route from their counterparts in the rest of Malaysia, as parties and coalitions in the state have embraced different forms of political cooperation.
For example, although Umno-led BN and PN formed the previous federal government, the two coalitions are going against each other in GE15.
However, this is not the case in Sabah, as the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition – comprising Bersatu, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Sabah Progressive Party, Sabah STAR, and United Sabah National Organisation – is teaming up with BN going into GE15.
To add to the confusion, GRS-BN is presenting a “united” front in Sabah, but members of this alliance are rooting for different prime ministers, and some of their candidates are even contesting against each other in several seats.
GRS-friendly Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat
It is no secret that Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) has been pleading to join the GRS coalition since it was formed in February this year.
But with no response from GRS on the matter, the party, led by president and founder Datuk Peter Anthony, had decided to contest solo in seven seats, with two seats involving opponents from GRS.
PBRS-STAR showdown in Keningau
Datuk Jake Nointin of KDM is expected to challenge Sabah STAR’s incumbent Keningau MP Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan.
The two will be squaring off against each other for the second time, following Jeffrey’s victory over Nointin in the 2018 general election, where the former won by a razor-thin 45-vote majority. At the time, Nointin contested on Warisan’s ticket before switching to KDM for GE15. Warisan dropped him in 2020 when he contested as an independent candidate in the Sabah election.
Keningau currently has over 87,000 voters, and 62.11% of its residents are Kadazandusun Murut Rungus as of 2018.
Other than Nointin and Jeffrey, two other candidates eyeing the Keningau seat are Warisan’s Rasinin Koutis @ Kauthis and DAP’s Grelydia Gillod.
Kota Marudu clash
The clash in Kota Marudu between KDM’s Datuk Wetrom Bahanda and PBS president Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili, who is the seat’s incumbent MP, was highly expected, as Wetrom had made a last-minute defection from Bersatu last month to contest the seat.
Wetrom had approached Warisan to join the party, but later changed his mind and joined KDM instead.
This led to him losing his position as the Sabah assistant minister to the chief minister.
Wetrom may believe he holds strong support after winning the Bandau state seat under Kota Marudu with more than half of the voters favouring him (58.52%, 5,863 votes) over Warisan.
Kota Marudu will see a five-cornered fight with candidates Wetrom, Ongkili, Warisan’s Datuk Jilid Kuminding @ Zainuddin, Muda’s Shahrizal Denci, and Pejuang’s Mohd Azmi Zulkiflee.
GRS v BN in some seats
Although BN and PN are locking horns nationally in GE15, GRS leader Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor of Bersatu and Sabah BN chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin recently formalised an electoral pact on seat allocation to avoid clashes.
However, BN and Bersatu have both been adamant about contesting in the Beluran and Ranau parliamentary seats.
On polling day, Ranau voters will have to choose between BN’s Datuk Ewon Ebin of PBRS, and the seat’s incumbent MP, GRS’ Datuk Jonathan Yasin from Bersatu.
Despite being the only Sabah-based party in BN, PBRS was initially allocated the Pensiangan seat in Sabah, which was to be contested by its incumbent Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup.
In Beluran, Umno fielded Benedict Asmat, but the seat’s Bersatu incumbent Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee and his supporters turned up on nomination day. Kiandee’s supporters notably wore blue PN shirts and waved PN flags.
Only less than a week ago, Kiandee told BN and PN supporters to avoid wearing their respective coalition shirts and wear GRS clothing instead.
However, on nomination day, he told his supporters that GRS lied to him, and that he will contest under PN instead.
So, where does this leave GRS supporters? Should they support BN or PN?
Kiandee, when asked, said Bersatu is under GRS and PN, and hinted that GRS supporters should support him instead of Umno’s candidate Benedict.
Hajiji, who is GRS chairman, on Saturday said that he will make a statement about Kiandee’s move to contest the seat, while Bung Moktar insisted that Benedict will win the constituency. – The Vibes, November 8, 2022
Additional reporting by Jason Santos
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