KOTA KINABALU, Nov 10 — Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) is banking on renewal, fielding a line-up dominated by new faces in what its chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin described as a bold bid to rejuvenate the coalition and reconnect with younger voters.
Over 80 per cent of BN‘s 41 candidates are newcomers — a move Bung said reflected the coalition’s readiness to take calculated risks and embrace a new generation of leaders to steer Sabah’s future.
“This shows Barisan Nasional dares to make changes. We are not gambling with the future of our young people — we are ready to face change,” he said after unveiling the coalition’s candidates at the Umno Sabah headquarters today.
He said the decision was made with young voters in mind, noting that about 65 per cent of the electorate are aged below 40.
“Unlike other parties that rely on the same faces who have been around for decades, we are giving young people the opportunity and the platform to prove themselves and contribute meaningfully to policymaking,” he added.
Among BN‘s new contenders are medical professionals Dr Shahnon Rizal Thaijudin, a neurosurgeon, and Dr Elmiariezan Aidan, a general practitioner — both based in Sabah — whom Bung said could help strengthen the state’s healthcare system if BN returns to power.
He said their inclusion demonstrated BN Sabah’s seriousness in offering candidates with professional expertise, empathy for the people, and the ability to drive competent and impactful social and economic policies.
“The line-up is reinforced by high educational attainment and leadership capacity. Most of our candidates hold bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees, and two are medical doctors. This shows that BN is presenting not only experienced leaders but also those who are intellectually and professionally capable,” Bung said.
Aside from new faces, several senior leaders will also contest — former federal minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan in Tempasuk, BN election director Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak in Usukan, and Bung himself in Lamag. Six of the 41 candidates are incumbents.
Bung added that BN’s renewal was not limited to politics but extended to driving economic transformation, particularly by addressing Sabah’s long-standing water, electricity and road infrastructure issues.
He also said five or six seats had yet to be finalised, describing them as “special seats” to be announced later.
Of the total, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president Datuk Arthur Kurup will contest in Sook, while MCA’s Kevin Lee Sip Kin will stand in Tanjung Kapor.
