TELUPID – Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) candidate for the Beluran parliamentary seat Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee has gotten support from unlikely sources.
Sabah Star and Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) divisional leaders from Telupid and Labuk have come out to campaign for Kiandee today.
Sabah Star is a component of the local Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and officially a component of PN at the national stage, while KDM openly declares itself as GRS-friendly.
Telupid Star chief Justina Udilis, Labuk Star chief Dolusim Podosian and Telupid KDM chief Pinus Gondili were present at Kiandee’s campaign in Kg Lidong here today.
They also made their support public at the function claiming that Kiandee had a good track record as MP and a federal minister.
“If Beluran is replaced, it would be hard to start over with a new MP. It would take time for the new MP to be able to match the work which has been done.
“Kiandee has done the best to develop Beluran and therefore, he should be retained as MP,” said Justina.
Kiandee, a Bersatu member, was believed to have been dropped from the candidacy for GRS but decided at the last minute to contest under the PN ticket.
Beluran was supposed to go to Umno under the GRS-BN pact.
Umno fielded Benedict Asmat, a former local government senior officer, to contest in Beluran.
But now Umno is facing a difficult task to capture Beluran with Kiandee contesting for the seat.
He won the parliamentary seat on an Umno ticket in 2018 but he later exited the party to join Bersatu in 2019.
The Vibes had reported the confusing electoral arrangement from the parties, especially those from the ruling regime. – The Vibes, November 9, 2022
