KOTA KINABALU: A member of the politically influential Bahanda family from Sabah’s northern Kudat region is opening up another corner in Sabah’s politically fractured landscape.
Kudat MP Datuk Verdon Bahanda was looking to become a kingmaker — or the king himself — with a band of independent candidates dubbed the Black Wave, set to contest at least 15 seats in the coming 17th state election.
Forecasting a hung state election, Verdon believes that his Black Wave movement could be a political game-changer in Sabah, where winning independents might influence government formation or even have a chance to become Chief Minister if they secure a block of 15 seats.
However, he said they were realistic as an independent bloc and would move to become part of the new state government and negotiate for positions.
If other parties with smaller numbers of seats are trying to cobble together a government, the independent bloc might be able to bargain for the Chief Minister’s position or other Cabinet positions, he said during a chat with the media.
“For me, black wave is a movement about courage, only for the brave people to offer a change to the old system. It is something new that we have never tried before,” he said, explaining that if one were within a political party, they would be subjected to controls from party higher-ups and, as such, cannot push their own agendas for the people.
“We are offering a new political system, I call it decentralised politics, with our assemblymen becoming people-centric,” said Verdon, who is planning to contest the Tanjong Kapor seat, one of the four state seats in Kudat.
“When you tie up with a party, you are actually having problems doing your job as the representative of the people. Because when you represent a party, you have a very big limitation of how you explore your own agenda of getting the right things to the people,” he explained.
He said the potential independent candidates were built on a foundation of friendship and camaraderie to ensure they remain a strong, united bloc before and after the election.
“They came to me. I don't choose. I can't find them. They think they can work with me. They are interested in what I fight for,” he said, dismissing claims that his black wave movement was aimed at splitting votes for certain political quarters.
“We are not looking for splitting votes, we are going for the win,” he added.
He said that, as an independent MP, he had pledged his support to the federal unity government and had always made his position clear that he would contest as an independent.
Other parties in the unity government – Parti Warisan, KDM, Barisan Nasional, GRS, and Pakatan Harapan - have taken different positions, and in some cases, their candidates are competing against each other in various electoral contests, he observed.
Verdon’s elder brother Wetrom is the deputy president and election director of Parti KDM, while their younger sister Redonah is the women's chief of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, the chairman of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
Verdon stated that there were no deals with his brother’s party or any other party; in fact, Black Wave was fielding candidates in Bengkoka and Kapayan, where KDM was also contesting.
“My candidates there are strong, I will fight my brother’s candidates,” he said, adding that as a family, they had no problem and they respected each other’s political views.
Black Wave plans to contest Banggi, Bengkoka, Tanjong Kapor, Inanam, Kapayan, Moyog, Tg Aru, Membakut, Kemabong, Limbahau, Melalap, Kukusan, Gum Gum, Sugut and Pintasan, with a few more might be added closer to nomination.
He said all his independent candidates were self-financing and would use similar posters and banners. “We provide the same design. This Black Wave will separate us from other independent candidates,” he said.
He said they hoped to use a similar symbol, but this would depend on whether the Black Wave candidates can use the same symbol in their respective constituencies when they register as candidates.
“I personally like the Key symbol, I used it when I won Kudat, it would depend on whether all of us can get it,” he added.
