Hajiji: GRS will 'give way' to Umno in Lamag, Kinabatangan

Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor has indicated that his Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition is unlikely to field a candidate in the twin by-election for Kinabatangan parliament and Lamag state seat next month.

Speaking to reporters after a Sabah state-assembly sitting in Kota Kinabalu, the GRS chairperson also hinted at possible support for a candidate to be fielded by Umno.

“I think we will discuss it within GRS, but I would like to state that most likely we will not contest.

“We will give due respect to the party that won (Umno), and by chance, they are now in the state government,” said the Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan) president in a video shared by Sabah Info.

The Election Commission has set Jan 10 for nominations and Jan 24 for polling in the twin by-elections triggered by the death of its incumbent, former Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin.

Quizzed further, Hajiji said: “We will give way (to Umno), we will assist them to win.”

He added that he will also be meeting with Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to discuss the nature of the two coalitions’ cooperation.

Apart from GRS, Perikatan Nasional, whose candidate Mazlin Madali had lost his deposit, also previously said the coalition would sit out of the by-elections.

In the 17th Sabah election, GRS contested against BN, while both coalitions maintained an electoral pact with Pakatan Harapan.

Bung defended his Lamag seat for the second term with a 153 majority against independent Ismail Ayob and four others, including GRS’ Johainizamshah Johari, who ranked third with 1,646 votes.

Bung had also held the Kinabatangan parliamentary seat since 1999.

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Bung laid to rest at Kampung Likas Muslim cemetery