Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) is heading for a massive collision with BN in at least 40 state seats, after unveiling its candidate lineup for 51 seats today.

Of the 41 seats BN has said it will contest, the only seat that GRS will not fight them in, for now at least, is Sebatik.

GRS will contest 55 seats in total, with four yet to be announced.

In Lamag, a state seat under the Kinabatangan parliamentary constituency, GRS is fielding its deputy division chief, Gagasan Rakyat Sabah exco member Johainizamshah Johari, as a contender against the incumbent, Sabah BN chief Bung Moktar Radin.

The list of candidates today omitted several heavyweights, including two suspended Umno leaders long rumoured to side with GRS.

Caretaker deputy chief minister III Shahelmey Yahya and state assistant minister Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy, who are both incumbent assemblypersons and MPs, were not listed among GRS’ 51 confirmed candidates.

The duo had been widely tipped to defend their seats under GRS after being suspended from Umno last year for defying party orders during the 2023 “Kinabalu Move”.

However, as they had won their Parliament seats on a BN ticket, contesting under GRS in the upcoming state election could trigger the anti-hopping law and result in them losing their status as MPs.

Despite this, there is speculation that the Umno duo may still make the cut in the last four seats GRS has yet to announce.

Apart from Shahelmey and Andi, another prominent omission is PBS veteran Jahid Jahim, the long-serving Tamparuli assemblyperson, whose name had been predicted by party insiders.

The incumbents for Sindumin (Yusof Yacob) and Tulid (Flovia Ng) have also been dropped, with their seats allocated to PKR as part of the GRS-Pakatan Harapan understanding.

Corruption scandal

Shahelmey, Andi, Jahid, and Yusof have all been implicated in the mining corruption scandal involving businessperson Albert Tei.

Of the four, Andi and Yusof are facing charges for accepting bribes from Tei, while the businessperson is on trial for giving the bribes.

Albert Tei

However, other leaders implicated in the corruption scandal, including incumbent finance minister Masidi Manjun, PBS acting president Joachim Gunsalam, and Sook incumbent Ellron Angin, are still on the list.

Other notable candidates include Usno president Pandikar Amin Mulia, who is fielded in Pintasan, replacing incumbent Fairuz Renddan. Pandikar’s wife, Diana Diego, meanwhile, will be fielded in Sekong in Semporna.

GRS is also fielding Marunda KK Ampong as a candidate against Warisan president Shafie Apdal in Senallang, as well as Victor Paut against Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) president Jeffrey Kitingan in Tambunan.

When met by reporters later, GRS chief Hajiji Noor insisted the four remaining candidates would be announced tomorrow.

He said the coalition’s candidates represented a balance of experience and youth, with about 35 percent being new faces.

“The candidates we are fielding are a mix of experienced leaders and the younger generation,” he said.

Hajiji Noor

“We don’t look at which party they come from - we look at them as GRS,” he said.

Hajiji also called on coalition supporters and component parties to work together to ensure victory.

“With the announcement, I hope all GRS supporters and component parties will work hard to make sure our candidates win.

“We are confident GRS will win this election. Everyone will contest under one flag - the GRS flag,” he said.

Rafizi: Sabah candidates show PKR didn't learn from Malacca wipeout

Rafizi: Sabah candidates show PKR didn't learn from Malacca wipeout

'Money to buy car, shop' - Albert drops 'RM500k' video

'Money to buy car, shop' - Albert drops 'RM500k' video

Upko-Harapan break could cost coalition KDM votes: Analysts

Upko-Harapan break could cost coalition KDM votes: Analysts

'PN's Sabah polls lineup based on data, not rivalries or personalities'

'PN's Sabah polls lineup based on data, not rivalries or personalities'

PN takes on Hajiji in Sabah polls, skips Shafie and Kitingan's seats

PN takes on Hajiji in Sabah polls, skips Shafie and Kitingan's seats