Parti Impian Sabah president Michel Alok (centre) at the party’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house in Sandakan.
KOTA KINABALU: Parti Impian Sabah (PIS) will announce its candidates for the 17th Sabah state election ahead of time, with no room for last-minute lobbying or changes, says party president Michel Alok.
He said the party had finalised candidates for 60 out of 73 constituencies, and was confident that the remaining seats would be completed soon.
“We don’t have a system where candidates lobby at the last minute. Once someone is selected, that’s it – there will be no changing or lobbying anymore,” he said during the party’s Aidilfitri open house event held in Sandakan recently.
Michel said this approach would distinguish PIS from other parties, where lobbying and last-minute changes often disrupted election plans and undermined trust.
He said early announcements would give candidates more time to serve the people on the ground, rather than focusing on internal politics.
PIS has also pledged to ensure that at least a portion of its candidates are women and from a diverse range of age groups.
“We have already identified four women candidates for now,” he said.
Michel added that age would not be a barrier for candidates, as the party believed that both experienced and young leaders could offer valuable contributions.
“What matters is not whether a candidate is young or old, but whether they are healthy, ready to serve, and have a mission to truly help the people,” he said.
He reiterated that PIS would not be forming any political alliances, adding that coalitions often led to leadership struggles and slow decision-making.
“Too many heads result in too many ideas and delays. We want a government where decisions are made today and implemented tomorrow,” he said.
PIS, officially registered in December 2023, announced its intention to contest all 73 state seats during its first annual general meeting in December 2024.
