Gabungan Rakyat Sabah is unlikely to contest the Lamag state seat in the upcoming by-election, its chairman Hajiji Noor said, indicating that the coalition is inclined to give way out of respect for the party that previously held the seat.
GRS Signals It Will Not Contest Lamag
Hajiji, who is also Sabah chief minister, said discussions within the coalition are ongoing, but the general view is to allow the party that won the seat to defend it, as a matter of principle and respect.
He said GRS is most likely not contesting and will instead honour the previous mandate, as reported by The Borneo Post.
Barisan Nasional won the Lamag seat in the 17th state election through the late Bung Moktar Radin, who also served as the Kinabatangan MP before his passing on Dec 5.
Hajiji said GRS would focus on supporting BN to secure victory in the by-election rather than fielding its own candidate.
Possible Approach for Both By-Elections
When asked whether the same approach would apply to both the Lamag state and Kinabatangan parliamentary by-elections, Hajiji said discussions would be held with Umno president and BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said the matter requires further talks, but in principle, GRS is prepared to give way.
The Election Commission has fixed Jan 24 for both the Kinabatangan parliamentary and Lamag state by-elections, with nomination day on Jan 10 and early voting on Jan 20.
Sabah Umno Seeks Consensus with GRS
Earlier, Sabah Umno chief Jafry Ariffin said the party is seeking discussions with GRS on both by-elections, stressing the need for consensus within the Sabah unity government before finalising its strategy.
He said cooperation with the state leadership is necessary to find a common approach for the Lamag and Kinabatangan contests.
Jafry added that Sabah Umno has begun early preparations, including divisional meetings and grassroots engagement in Lamag, Kuamut and Sukau, believing that BN should defend both seats based on Bung’s track record.
