GE15: Wetrom's younger brother Verdon to contest Kudat as independent candidate

KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Verdon Bahanda (pic) will join his elder brother Datuk Wetrom, who made headlines after quitting Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), as a candidate in the 15th General Election (GE15).

Verdon announced that he will be contesting as an independent for the northern Kudat parliamentary seat, which is just next to the Kota Marudu constituency Wetrom will be contesting.

Speaking during a visit to Kampung Tanjung Kapur in Kudat on Thursday (Nov 3), he said he had previously hinted at the possibility that he would participate in GE15.

“Today, I will give you the answer. I declare that I will participate in the polls as an independent candidate in Kudat,” said the former Sabah Football Club chief executive officer.

Verdon said he wanted to offer more options for voters in GE15, adding that he was keen to defend the rights of the community in Kudat.

Verdon is slated to face three other candidates for the seat - Datuk Seri Ruddy Awah (GRS-Bersatu), Thonny Chee (Pakatan Harapan) and Rashid Harun (Parti Warisan).

Wetrom, a former state assistant minister, left the Sabah chapter of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) last month after his intentions to contest the Kota Marudu seat were ignored by the GRS leadership.

He went on to join the Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) led by Datuk Peter Anthony, who later announced that Wetrom will be their candidate for Kota Marudu.

Meanwhile, former Warisan Keningau chief Datuk Jake Nointin is said to be contesting the Keningau parliamentary seat on a KDM ticket.

Nointin was in a six-way fight for the seat in GE14 and narrowly lost to Sabah STAR president Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan by 45 votes.

Nointin will again face Kitingan as well as Warisan candidate Rasinin Koutis and DAP’s Grelydia Gillod in GE15.

So far, KDM has named candidates for the seats of Kota Kinabalu, Sepanggar, Kota Marudu, Kimanis, Tenom, Pensiangan and Beaufort.