Johor Umno to help out in Kimanis

JOHOR BARU: Johor Umno is lending their support to help their Sabah colleagues in defending the seat in the Jan 18 Kimanis parliamentary by-election.

State chief Datuk Hasni Mohammad said it would be another test for the party as what Johor Umno had gone through during the recent Tanjung Piai by-election.

“The Tanjung Piai by-election happened after Umno signed the national muafakat charter with PAS.

“The Kimanis by-election is another challenge for Sabah Umno after it has been given autonomy following amendments to the party’s constitution during the last general assembly,” he said here yesterday.

However, the Benut assemblyman stressed that Sabah Umno will not be alone in defending Kimanis as Johor Umno will be stationed at the Lumat and Siduka polling district centres.

He said Sabah Umno has identified its members for the two centres, whose task included gathering data and information as well as conducting meet-the-people programmes.

“We will also be sending non governmental organisations that consists mostly of youth to conduct “speakers corner” during the by-election.

“The speakers corner is one of our successful programmes that are able to attract young voters during the Tanjung Piai by-election, which Barisan Nasional won with more than a 15,000 majority,” he added.

On Dec 2, the Federal Court upheld an Election Court’s decision to nullify the results for Kimanis in a petition filed by losing Warisan candidate, Datuk Karim Bujang, who lost to Datuk Seri Anifah Aman, who was then with Umno, during the 14th General Election.

Anifah retained the seat with a slim 153-vote majority for a fifth term, but he left Umno in Sept last year to become an independent.