SANDAKAN – The sole candidate in Sabah contesting under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) ticket, Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee claimed that BN has threatened the people in Beluran to vote for BN.
The Beluran parliamentary candidate claimed that Sabah BN chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin had mentioned that leaders in GRS and BN who support candidates from other parties will be terminated from their position during a campaign round at the constituency.
Bung Moktar had allegedly stated that “this includes village heads, village development and safety committee (members) and government servants who go against the current and support other parties other than BN and GRS”.
“Bung Moktar does not have the right to force the people in Beluran with threats to support or vote for anyone in this election.
“His action could jeopardise our parliamentary democracy by limiting voters’ rights to choose their representative voluntarily, without any pressure or threat,” he said, adding that Bung’s statement was published on a national news portal.
As such, Kiandee, who is also Bersatu vice-president, said he will lodge a report with police and Election Commission given Bung Moktar’s alleged statement is a form of threat to Beluran voters.
He stressed that Bung Moktar is supposed to practise a healthy campaign in accordance with the law, and not break the election laws by threatening and forcing people against their rights.
Meanwhile, Kiandee told the crowd during a programme with voters in Kg Pinangkau, Paitan, today that he is confident that the people in Beluran will not be fooled by Bung Moktar.
“I am confident that the people in Beluran will rise to oppose and reject this desperate and dirty campaigning tactic by Bung Moktar; he is doing it only to defend BN’s candidate in Beluran,” he said.
PN is contesting 170 seats in this election, including Beluran.
Yesterday, The Vibes reported that Bung Moktar said GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor should take action against GRS leaders supporting Kiandee, saying that the individual should be terminated from his position in the state cabinet if he has one.
While it cannot be ascertained as to whom Bung was referring to, Samad Jambri, who is Bersatu’s Labuk representative in the Beluran state seat is also Sabah’s assistant rural development minister, was rumoured to be present in Kiandee’s campaign this week. – The Vibes, November 13, 2022
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