Shafie's Semporna 'stronghold' can be breached during GE15, says Umno man

KOTA KINABALU: An Umno division leader says they can take on Parti Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal in his stronghold of Semporna in the coming 15th General Election.

Semporna Umno division chief Abdul Manan Indanan said that there was a positive response towards Umno from the people in Semporna based on their participation in political activities in the constituency.

"The people's response has been good and our machinery is now in place to ensure that Barisan Nasional will be in a position to retake Semporna," he said after meeting with the people in the Sulabayan area on Tuesday (June 14).

"Many people think that Warisan is very strong (in Semporna), but we believe we can overcome them as the people are gaining more confidence in the leadership of the current government.

"Umno will redouble its efforts as it is not impossible to recapture the Semporna parliamentary seat from Warisan," he said.

Abdul Manan, who is Sulabayan community development leader, said Semporna Umno was well prepared for an election.

He said the final choice as Barisan's candidate for Semporna would be decided by the party leadership.

"If we are instructed to contest in the election, the Umno machinery will work hard to win Semporna.

"The most important thing is to ensure that the current government remains," he said.

Shafie won the Semporna seat on a Barisan-Umno ticket in 1995.

He quit Umno in 2016 to form Warisan and retained the seat with a overwhelming 20,674-vote majority in the 2018 General Election on a Warisan ticket, defeating Umno, PAS and independent candidates.