Kalabakan Umno division is asking that the party and Barisan Nasional (BN) leadership return the Merotai state seat to Umno.

Division head Abdul Ghapur Salleh claimed that the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) which had been representing the seat for two terms had failed to bring any change to the constituency.

"The political scenario today has changed. We can no longer compromise on this?

"Areas with Malay and Muslim majority should be represented by Umno," he told reporters after chairing the divisional committee meeting in Tawau today.

According to Abdul Ghapur, who is also Kalabakan member of parliament, the Umno divisinal committee had unanimously decided on the matter today.

The Merotai seat is represented by Pang Yuk Ming from LDP, one of the BN component parties in Sabah.

Abdul Ghapur said 80 per cent of the registered voters in Merotai were Malays/Muslims, so there was no reason why the seat could not be returned to Umno.

"If the BN top leadership ignores our demand, we (Kalabakan Umno) cannot guarantee a victory for BN in Merotai in the 13th general election," he said.

Abdul Ghapur said Kalabakan Umno had identified a potential candidate for BN for the Merotai seat.

- Bernama