CALONKINI | Unlike Khalid’s hit song, Sabah BN's youngest candidate Ceasar Mandela Malakun may be young, but he's far from being dumb and broke.

The 27-year-old United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) leader has a Master’s in law from City, University of London, and is the group general manager of a property firm that developed one of Penampang's latest landmarks, the International Technology and Commercial Centre.

Born a few months after the late South African leader, Nelson Mandela, from whom he gets his name, was released from prison, Mandela is also the son of veteran politician and businessperson Clarence Bongkos Malakun, and the grandson of the late Sabah developer Wong Kwok.

In the 14th general election, Mandela will be squaring off with Parti Warisan Sabah deputy president Darell Leiking and two others in the parliamentary seat of Penampang.

With his lineage and overseas education, there have been questions over whether Mandela truly has what it takes to know what the people want. But he dismisses such claims of ‘privilege.’

"What is an easy life? I still had to study hard, I still need to work.

"When I was younger, I would wake up at 5am during the school holidays to pick fruits at my grandfather's orchard...