Subdued start to Sabah campaigns

Personal touch: GRS’s SAPP candidate for Sandakan Thomas Lau (right) meeting people during his walkabout in the east coast town.

KOTA KINABALU: Political parties kicked off their campaigns for the Nov 19 general election on a relatively low note, with some candidates making their rounds at popular weekend venues.

Senior leaders of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Barisan Nasional are spending more time since Saturday on election operations.

Unlike previous elections where political flags and banners were up almost immediately after nominations, in the city, party flags were only visible from early Sunday.

Most party officials said that the election mode would pick up once party workers were briefed and the election machinery was in place.

GRS’s Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili, who is defending Kota Marudu, also spent most of his time preparing the ground team in the northern Sabah constituency.

According to PBS officials, Ongkili launched a mini-manifesto tailored to Kota Marudu on Saturday.

Sabah STAR president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan also kicked off his election machinery in Keningau and is expected to hit the campaign trail from today. The party is also a member of GRS.

Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, however, spent time in Semporna to campaign and meet people on Saturday before heading to Kalabakan and Tawau.

Sabah Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin also stayed in his east coast Kinabatangan seat to meet people ahead of his plans to campaign for Barisan and GRS candidates across the state.

Under the Barisan-GRS pact, Barisan will contest 12 of the 25 seats in Sabah, with GRS contesting the other 13 seats.

The opposition, Warisan, is contesting all 25 seats, while Pakatan Harapan will contest 24 seats.