Musa: We’ll field PBS candidate in Matunggong

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Barisan Nasional will field a Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) candidate in the Matunggong state seat in Kota Marudu, says Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman.

This is despite Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s suggestion on Monday that the seat be “loaned” to Umno in the general election.

Musa said it was the status quo for seat allocations among Sabah Barisan component parties, as previously agreed upon.

“The position and role of every component party must be respected. This is Sabah Barisan’s stand and also mine in leading Sabah Umno,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Earlier, PBS deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili had said the party regarded Matunggong as a traditional PBS seat and did not favour Dr Ahmad Zahid’s suggestion.

Dr Ongkili, the Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister said the matter would be raised at the PBS supreme council meeting.

Dr Ahmad Zahid had earlier said the KadazandusunMurutmajority Kota Marudu seat, held by fiveterm MP Dr Ongkili, was only won by a small majority of 842 votes in 2013.

He said Matunggong assemblyman Datuk Jelani Hamdan, who won on a PKR ticket in 2013, would be assisting a Barisan candidate in securing victory for the seat.

Jelani beat PBS’ Sarapin Magana in the last general election with a 320vote majority.

Jelani is now considered a Barisanfriendly independent after a failed bid to join Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah in 2013.