Abdul Rahman: I can stand anywhere I’m told to

KOTA KINABALU: Two-term Kota Belud MP Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan, who says he “can fit anywhere”, appears likely to move to the mixed-race urban seat of Sepanggar here in the coming general election.

Sources believe Abdul Rahman will move to the seat, held by suspended Umno leader Datuk Jumat Idris, leaving Kota Belud to Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak.

Salleh stepped aside from Kota Belud after holding it for three terms from 1995 to 2008 to contest the Usukan state seat in the 2008 general election.

He is currently Usukan assemblyman and a Senator.

When asked, Abdul Rahman did not discount the possibility.

“I am free size, one size fits all. (I) can fit anywhere,” said Abdul Rahman, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of the Economic Planning Unit.

Abdul Rahman, a Bajau leader from neighbouring Tuaran, told reporters he would go wherever he was asked to stand.

“We will leave the decision on where I stand to the leadership. I know it sounds cliché but seriously, I love Kota Belud.

“It is a place where I’ve been working for the last 10 years and there is so much more to do,” he said after launching Kota Kinabalu City Hall’s Ramai Ramai programme in Inanam yesterday.

The state constituencies of Inanam and Karambunai make up the Sepanggar seat, which comes under Kota Kinabalu.

Abdul Rahman, whose home is in Sepanggar, said that as a Sabahan Federal minister, he could help develop the area. “It has huge potential,” he said.

Abdul Rahman said he had appointed a Sepanggar Consultative Council, comprising academicians, hawkers, businessmen and town planners, to look into the needs of the people.

At the function, he also announced a RM10mil allocation to build a multi-purpose hall that was approved by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak four years ago.

However, he downplayed any perceived focus on Sepanggar, saying that he approved RM100mil to develop Sandakan airport and RM500mil for the Tanjung Aru EcoDevelopment project, but this did not mean that he was the candidate for Sandakan or Kota Kinabalu.