TAWAU – Sabah PAS has pledged support for Benedict Asmat, Barisan Nasional’s (BN) candidate in the Beluran parliamentary constituency, which sees Bersatu vice-president Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee defending the seat against the wishes of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS)-BN pact.
Sabah PAS secretary Aliakbar Gulasan said the state PAS was sticking to its stand to support GRS-BN candidates in the 15th general election (GE15) and regards Kiandee’s candidacy on a Perikatan Nasional (PN) ticket as an anomaly.
“No parties should be blamed in this matter and we follow the central leadership (supporting GRS-BN). We continue to be with our friend GRS,” he told reporters at a gathering between the media and GRS’ Tawau parliamentary candidate Lo Su Fui here today.
Five-term incumbent Beluran MP Kiandee is involved in a five-cornered fight with BN’s Asmat, who is former Sandakan Municipal Council president, and three others.
Bersatu is a component party of GRS in Sabah, but in Peninsular Malaysia is a member of PN, which includes PAS.
Aliakbar also asked the PAS election machinery in Tawau to vote for Lo of Parti Bersatu Sabah, which is a GRS member, in the national polls on November 19.
“In Tawau, we have more than 1,000 members, and we obtained about 2,500 votes when contesting the Tawau parliamentary seat in the 2018 general election. Every vote counts.
“Although PAS is not contesting (in Sabah) in this election, our machinery will work for a victory for GRS and BN,” he added.
Lo is involved in a six-way contest with incumbent Datuk Christina Liew (Pakatan Harapan), Chen Ket Chuin (Warisan), Herman Amdas (Pejuang), and independent candidates Chin Chee Syn and Mohd Salleh Bacho. – Bernama, November 12, 2022
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