KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Impian Sabah (PIS) president Michel Alok @ Ilok is among 389 candidates for the Sabah State Legislative Assembly who lost their deposits after obtaining less than one-eighth of the total votes counted for their seats in Saturday's 17th Sabah State Election.
Michel, who contested the Telupid seat, was left empty-handed after securing only 291 votes, losing to incumbent Datuk Jonnybone Kurum of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), who garnered 3,868 votes in the nine-cornered contest.
In the 10-cornered contest for the Sebatik seat, Parti Rumpun Sabah (Rumpun) president Datuk Dr Ismail Idris also lost his deposit after obtaining only 41 votes, defeated by Warisan candidate Manahing Tinggilani @ Tanggilani, who secured 2,795 votes.
Former Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi, who contested the Segama seat as an Independent, also had to accept the loss of his deposit after obtaining only 1,644 votes and losing to Warisan’s Muhammad Abdul Karim, who won with 7,325 votes.
According to party breakdowns, PIS recorded the highest number of candidates losing their deposits with 72 candidates, followed by Independent candidates (60), Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR Sabah) and Perikatan Nasional (PN), each with 36 candidates.
Meanwhile, Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) saw 30 candidates lose their deposits, Warisan (23), United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) (15), Barisan Nasional (BN) (12) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) two candidates.
The Tulid seat recorded the highest number of candidates losing their deposits in its 14-cornered contest, with 11 candidates failing to obtain more than one-eighth of the total votes cast.
The 17th Sabah State Election saw 73 State Legislative Assembly seats contested, with nearly 600 candidates taking part..- Bernama
