PN, BN and PBS agree to avoid clashes in 11 seats - Zahid
SABAH POLLS | Perikatan Nasional (PN), BN and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) have agreed not to field their candidates against each other in 11 state seats where they are expected to clash in the Sabah election.
This came after a 90-minute meeting chaired by PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the prime minister, in what appeared to be the final effort on the eve of nomination day to push for a straight fight among the state opposition parties...
SABAH POLLS | Perikatan Nasional (PN), BN and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) have agreed not to field their candidates against each other in 11 state seats where they are expected to clash in the Sabah election.
This came after a 90-minute meeting chaired by PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the prime minister, in what appeared to be the final effort on the eve of nomination day to push for a straight fight among the state opposition parties.
The meeting, held at a hotel in Kota Kinabalu this morning, was attended by party leaders.
When met by the media, BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the consensus was among the agreements decided during the meeting.
Read more: Sabah Decides 2020: Making sense of the players, parties and battles
It was done to forge solidarity among the "friendly parties", he added.
"This is to avoid clashes among the parties. According to the announcements (of seats and candidates) yesterday, there are overlapping claims of seats among ourselves.
"All of this would be resolved as soon as possible," Zahid said.
Asked if PN parties should withdraw from contesting in some of the seats, he replied: "Irrelevant."
PN in Sabah includes Bersatu, PAS, Star and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), while Sabah BN has Umno, MCA, MIC and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS).
PN parties, BN members and PBS are expected to clash in 11 constituencies.
Umno, which will contest in 31 seats, is expected to clash with PBS in Bengkoka and Tanjong Aru.
Bengkoka, a new seat created under the Kudat parliamentary seat, comprises 91 percent bumiputera voters with 51 percent of them from the Kadazan Dusun Murut (KDM) community.
Tanjong Aru was traditionally contested by PBS when the KDM-majority party was still part of BN.
Umno will field its candidate at the newly established seat of Telupid, which will be contested by PBS too.
Meanwhile, PBS and PBRS are expecting to field their candidates in Matunggong, Tandek and Kadamaian.
The three KDM-majority seats were traditionally contested by PBS.
In the 2018 general election, Kedamaian was given to Upko which was with BN then.
PBS will also clash with MCA in Kapayan and Karamunting.
Umno also made known that it will contest in Paginatan, which is eyed by Star.
Meanwhile, PBRS and Star are expected to compete in Tulid and Sook.
Follow Malaysiakini's coverage of the Sabah state election here.
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
This action cannot be undone.