Shafie jests with reporters over potential Warisan candidates for Semporna, Penampang

KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (pic) engaged journalists in a humorous exchange when asked about Parti Warisan's candidates for the Semporna and Penampang constituencies.

The Semporna constituency has been held by the Warisan president since 1995 while Penampang is held by party deputy president Datuk Darell Lieking.

Without missing a beat, he broke out in a smile and replied: "We are still studying (the candidate), we have not yet decided (on Semporna)."

"In Penampang, there are two candidates, I have to check it. I have asked them to work harder, we will announce when the time comes," Shafie said with a serious tone while smiling.

Leiking, who was with Shafie at the Warisan Putatan meet the people session near here on Sunday (Oct 16) night, quipped that he would be screening the Semporna candidate and Shafie would screen the candidate for Penampang.

This came about after Shafie did not announce the name of a candidate for Putatan during a meet-the-people session in Putatan on Sunday.

Putatan was Shafie's last stop in his pre-election meet-the-people sessions in South-Western Sabah over the weekend.

Putatan is currently held by PKR's Awang Husaini Sahari, Warisan's former ally during GE14 in 2018.

Shafie said they had not named the potential candidate as they were still looking at the best possible choice.

Shafie has so far named three candidates for Parliamentary seats, namely Sipitang, Kimanis and Papar.