KOTA KINABALU, Nov 10 — Sabah Governor Tun Musa Aman’s son is among 10 Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidates set to contest under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) banner in the upcoming state election.
PKR will also field two candidates in collaboration with its pact partner Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), whose component party Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (PGRS) currently holds several of the targeted seats.
Former Sipitang MP Datuk Yamani Hafez Musa has been picked to contest the Sindumin seat, now held by PGRS’s Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob.
Joining the PH line-up are PGRS’s Datuk Jamawi Jaafar, the Melalap division chief, and Datuk George Hiew, the incumbent Karamunting assemblyman, who will both stand under the PH banner.
Jamawi previously represented Kemabong under Umno and Warisan, while Hiew, who won Karamunting in 2020 on a Warisan ticket, crossed over to GRS in March 2023.
Yamani is also believed to remain a PGRS member.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the PH chairman and PKR president, announced the 10 candidates at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here last night.
PKR contested eight seats in the 2020 state election and won two — Inanam and Api Api.
Former Education Ministry secretary-general Datuk Ruji Ubi was named as a PKR candidate for the Merotai seat, where he is expected to challenge incumbent Parti Warisan’s Sarifuddin Hatta.
The only incumbent PKR representative retained is Sabah PKR deputy chief Datuk Peto Galim, a former assistant minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry, who is expected to face a crowded 10- to 11-cornered fight in Inanam.
Also announced was Pensiangan PKR division chief Datin Rufinah Pengeran, the party’s sole female candidate, who will contest the Tulid seat.
The seat is currently held by Datuk Flovia Ng, who won under Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku in 2020 but recently left the party to remain with GRS.
Other PKR candidates include former Putatan MP Awang Husaini Sahari (Petagas), Romansa Lamin (Segama), and Abdul Said Pimping (Gum-Gum).
Thonny Chee will contest the Api Api seat, replacing former state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew, who was dropped from the line-up.
In his speech, Anwar said PH would contest a “reasonable” 23 seats in the state, which he described as having “the most parties in the world.”
“It’s not a lot, but we have the intention of forming the government while working closely with GRS and Barisan Nasional to have stronger representation in the federal government,” he said.
Aside from PKR’s 10 candidates, component party DAP has announced seven while Parti Amanah has named one, leaving questions over who will contest the remaining five seats.
Upko president Datuk Ewon Benedick has announced that he is resigning from the federal Cabinet. There is speculation that he may contest in the state polls, but it remains unclear what his current position is within the PH coalition.
