KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s two main contenders for the state election are each claiming they are on course to secure a majority when voters head to the polls.
Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and his key rival Warisan, led by Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, both say they are on track to win a simple 37-seat majority and above amid predictions that Sabah’s 17th state election could result in another hung assembly.
Hajiji, the caretaker chief minister, said winning 40 seats is not impossible for GRS, which is contesting 55 of the 73 state seats.
“This confidence is not only for the Lumadan and Klias seats in Beaufort but for all other seats we are contesting,” he told reporters during a campaign talk in Beaufort, about 100km from Kota Kinabalu.
He added that various incentives for youths and flights have been provided to encourage voters residing and working outside Sabah to return home and vote on Nov 29.
In neighbouring Sipitang, Shafie told reporters on the campaign trail in Sindumin that Warisan is confident it can form the next state government.
“Of course, it’s a question of who Sabahans are choosing as chief minister here. We don’t want to select the PM,” said Shafie.
In a strongly worded remark, Shafie stressed that the next Sabah government and chief minister candidate must be decided by Sabahans, not by outsiders.
“Don’t tell us what Sabahans want. I think most Sabahans know better.
“We want the chief minister and the state government to belong to us,” he said.
Shafie also appeared unfazed by Hajiji’s confidence in securing a simple majority, saying cracks had already begun to show within the GRS coalition after the state assembly was dissolved in October.
“We saw the fractures. Parties like Sabah STAR, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and now Upko are fighting among themselves in certain places.
“A good example is in Sipitang. They were there to fight against us in the last election, a united force consisting of not only Umno, GRS and Bersatu, but now they are deeply divided.
“Can you imagine some candidates from Umno, now standing under PKR in certain places? Bersatu also planted candidates to fight against them. So, let’s see.”
Shafie urged Sabahans abroad to exercise their right to vote.
“You may be in Singapore, Hong Kong or working in the peninsula. Please, make an effort to come back and vote.”
Shafie also said Warisan’s Yusri Pungut would be the best candidate to represent Sindumin as he is a prominent senior lawyer in Sabah.
“We are offering not just fresh faces, but people with experience to represent us. He also has no track record of corruption either.
“So, I’m quite confident. We may not have the kind of money to compete with other parties, but we have the heart and the ambition to save Sabah,” said Shafie.
Yusri is facing a 10-cornered contest against Pakatan Harapan’s Datuk Yamani Hafez Musa, Parti Impian Sabah’s Markus Buas, PKS’ Kanafia Bujang, Sabah STAR’s Moktar Matusin, Perikatan Nasional’s Dayang Syafiqah Abdul Hamid, KDM’s Sani Miasin and three independents.
A total of 596 candidates from 22 parties will contest in the Sabah polls on Nov 29.
