KOTA KINABALU: Family political alignments have come to the fore in Sabah as the major players name their candidates for 73 state seats in the Nov 29 election.
With most candidate lists emerging by Wednesday (Nov 12), many children of current and former Sabah politicians have been named.
Clashes between siblings and cousins are seen as well.
At least eight members of the politically influential Aman family are in the fray, with some of the cousins going up against each other.
Two of Sabah Governor Tun Musa Aman’s sons – Datuk Yamani Hafez Musa (Pakatan Harapan) and Harez Musa (Gabungan Rakyat Sabah) – are contesting in Sindumin and Sungai Manila, respectively. Both GRS and Pakatan are working together under an electoral pact.
In Liawan, GRS incumbent Datuk Annuar Ayub Aman will be facing off against his maternal cousins Nik Mohd Nadzri Nik Zawawi (Barisan Nasional) and Adzhar Jasni @ Eddy (Parti Warisan) for the hotly contested seat.
Annuar’s brother Mohd Ishak Ayub will contest in Bingkor for GRS breakaway Sabah STAR.
Musa’s younger brother, former foreign minister Tan Sri Anifah Aman, will vie for the Bongawan seat while Musa’s son-in-law Datuk Ariffin Arif will defend his Membakut seat, both for GRS.
Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia and his wife, Puan Sri Diana Diego, will both be vying for seats under Usno, which is also part of GRS.
Pandikar is the coalition's candidate for Pintasan, while Diana will be running in Sekong.
Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has named his younger brother and Lahad Datu MP Datuk Yusof Apdal for the Silam seat.
In Pitas, former assemblyman Bolkiah Ismail from Barisan-Umno will be up against his brother Harun Ismail for the seat held by Datuk Ruddu Awah, who won the seat as an independent and later joined GRS' Gagasan.
Warisan’s Inanam candidate Edna Jessica Majimbunis is set to face off against her brother Shone, who has declared himself as an independent.
Their father, Datuk Eric Majimbun, was the former Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) MP for Sepanggar.
In northern Kota Marudu district, three siblings from the Bahanda family are contesting under different banners.
Parti KDM deputy president and Kota Marudu MP Datuk Wetrom Bahanda will contest in Matunggong, while his sister, Gagasan Rakyat Sabah women's wing chief Datuk Redonah, will stand in her brother’s former seat, Bandau, for GRS.
Another sibling, Datuk Verdon, the independent Kudat MP, will run in Tanjung Kapor also as an independent.
He is also leading the Black Wave movement to field independents in at least 17 seats.
In Sabah’s intricate and complex political battleground, family names can bring quick recognition, loyalty and support for the contesting parties.
