KOTA KINABALU: Suspended Umno Putatan MP Datuk Shahelmey Yahya said that there were still three weeks for him to decide whether to defend his Tanjung Keramat state seat in the Nov 29 Sabah election.
“What’s important is that any decision made must be for the good of the people and based on their mandate,” he told reporters after attending an Incentive Presentation Ceremony for the Putatan District Athletes in Putatan here Friday (Oct 24).
Shahelmey, who was suspended after he went against the Sabah Umno’s decision to withdraw its support for Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor in January 2023, risks losing his Putatan Parliamentary seat that would be vacated under the anti-hopping law if he contests on a GRS ticket to defend Tanjung Keramat.
Sabah Umno chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin stated that Shahelmey, who was Deputy Chief Minister III in Hajiji’s state government, was free to contest for any political party he wished, but he must pay Umno the RM100mil for breaching a bond signed by all Umno candidates as part of the pledge of loyalty to remain with the party for the five-year term if they won the seat.
Commenting on Umon Secretary-General Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki’s statement regarding legal action against any elected representative who contests under a ticket other than Barisan, Shahelmey said that he had taken note of the matter.
“There’s still plenty of time to make a decision,” he said briefly.
Shahelmey was also asked whether he had received any offers from other parties to contest, but declined to elaborate.
Bung had named Putatan Umno division Jeffery Nor Mohamad as the Tanjung Keramat candidate, although intense lobbying continued for other candidates, including Penampang Umno division chief Hasnol Ayob Aman as the choice for the seat.
