KOTA KINABALU: A mix of heavyweights and new faces from Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-Barisan Nasional will lead the charge for the ruling state coalition's move to capture as many of the 25 parliamentary seats in Sabah.
Four state ministers including two deputy chief ministers were among seven incumbent assemblymen being fielded by the coalitions which also included nine new faces and seasoned grassroots leaders in the line-up.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, who was Sabah STAR president, would defend Keningau on a GRS ticket while Sabah Barisan chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin would defend Kinabatangan on the Barisan platform.
Two Sabah Umno state ministers, Datuk Shahelmey Yahya and Datuk Yakubah Khan, were being fielded in Putatan and Sepanggar respectively under the Barisan banner.
Also defending their seats were Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili in Kota Marudu and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah deputy president Datuk Arthur Kurup in Pensiangan.
Attempting a comeback was former federal minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan who was named as the Barisan candidate for the Kota Belud seat.
In GE 14, Abdul Rahman, who was a two-term MP for Kota Belud, was moved to Sepanggar where he lost to Parti Warisan candidate Datuk Aziz Jamman.
The other candidates named under the seat-sharing - 13 seats for GRS and 12 for Barisan - were Pitas assemblyman Datuk Seri Ruddy Awah for Kudat seat, Kiulu assemblyman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai for Tuaran seat and nominated assemblyman Datuk Suhaimi Nasir for Libaran.
Incumbent Ranau MP Datuk Jonathan Yasin, who left PKR with Datuk Seri Azmin Ali to join the 2020 Sheraton move, will defend his seat under the GRS banner.
Former Inanam assemblyman Kenny Chua, who triggered the fall of Warisan Plus state government in September 2020 when he quit PKR to join Sabah STAR, will contest the Penampang seat for GRS.
Among other former assemblymen being fielded were Datuk Matbali Musah in Sipitang and Datuk Jamawi Jaafar in Tenom.
Among the new GRS faces were lawyer Yee Tsai Yiew, the daughter of PBS deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Yee Moh Chai, a former deputy chief minister.
Among other new faces were the Chief Minister's chief private secretary Datuk Amirzan Mohd Ali in Papar, Bersatu Information chief Khairul Firdaus Akbarkhan in Batu Sapi and Bersatu's Nixon Abdul Habi in Semporna.
Sabah Progressive Party's Thomas Lau Chee Keong will be fielded in Sandakan and PBS' Lo Su Fui in Tawau seats under the GRS banner.
Others named on Barisan tickets were Kimanis incumbent Datuk Mohamad Alamin, Datuk Siti Aminah Aching for Beaufort, Datin Maizatul Akmam Alwi for Lahad Datu and Aslan Fadli Samsul Alang in Kalabakan.
The Beluran parliamentary seat held by GRS' Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee was not announced as both GRS and Barisan were still discussing it.
For the Bugaya state seat by-election, Sabah Barisan will field Abd Aziz Mohd Ibno.
The candidates for GRS were announced by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor while the Sabah Barisan names were read out by Bung.
In their speeches earlier, both leaders stressed to over 1,000 of their supporters on the importance of helping each other win.
Bung urged Sabah Barisan leaders and supporters not only to back their own candidates, but also to support GRS candidates.
"Similarly with GRS, help the Barisan candidates in areas which you are not contesting.
"We cannot look after our own feelings only, we need to look at the big picture," he said, adding, "together, between Barisan and GRS we can win the war.
"Our promise to the people of Sabah is that when we win, we will develop the state," he added.
Likewise, Hajiji rallied GRS supporters to help Barisan candidates and vice versa.
"This is most important. Today we reinforce our promise and fight together to ensure an excellent victory for GRS and Barisan," he said.
