KOTA KINABALU: The ruling state government coalitions Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Barisan Nasional are set to announce their candidates on Wednesday (Nov 2) to avoid any clash.
Invitations to the media have been sent out for the event where GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and Sabah Barisan chairman Datuk Bung Moktar Radin will announce the candidates.
Chief Minister Hajiji and Deputy Chief Minister Bung Moktar have been discussing seat sharing as both men want to ensure that their alliance remains intact amid intense rivalry between Bersatu and Umno at the national level.
GRS, led by Sabah Bersatu and comprising Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Sabah STAR, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and Usno, is expected to get 13 of the 25 federal seats under the seat-sharing formula.
Barisan, comprising Sabah Umno, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah, MCA and MIC, will get 12 seats.
However, senior party officials are still tight-lipped about the final arrangements amid fears that some unhappy individuals, groups or parties might rebel to contest on different platforms.
However, it is still not clear if GRS will get the Beluran parliament seat held by its incumbent and caretaker Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee.
Barisan has insisted that the Beluran seat belongs to Umno. Kiandee won it on a Barisan ticket in 2018 before he left to join Bersatu where he was eventually elected as a vice-president.
The Beluran seat, among a few others, was a sore point during seat negotiations and sources could not say if it had been allocated to GRS.
"We will have to wait for the announcement," the sources said.
They said PBS president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili is likely to defend his Kota Marudu seat for the seventh term under a GRS ticket although speculation was rife earlier that he might move to Tuaran.
Sabah STAR president Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan will defend his Keningau seat for the second term under GRS. Bung Moktar will defend his Kinabatangan seat for the sixth term on a Barisan ticket.
PBRS deputy president Datuk Arthur Kurup is expected to defend his interior Pensiangan seat.
