Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has announced four more candidates who will contest in Bingkor, Tamparuli, Kukusan and Sebatik in the Nov 29 election.
GRS chairman Hajiji Noor said former Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) deputy president Robert Tawik would defend his Bingkor seat for a third term, The Borneo Post reported.
Tawik, the caretaker state assistant works minister, was among five assemblymen who said they would support GRS in the state polls despite STAR’s exit from the coalition.
It is understood that Tawik, Ellron Alfred Angin (Sook), Annuar Ayub (Liawan), Abidin Madingkir (Paginatan) and Juil Nuatim (Limbahau) are direct GRS members contesting on Parti Bersatu Sabah’s quota.
With the exception of Juil, they were all STAR leaders prior to the party’s departure from GRS.
Hajiji also announced that GRS would field former Universiti Malaysia Sabah senior lecturer Bonaventure Boniface in Tamparuli while Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah’s Samsiah Usman will contest Kukusan, where she leads her party’s local division.
Meanwhile, Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah Supreme Council member Hassan A Gani Pg Amir will defend his Sebatik seat for a second term.
Hajiji said it was not easy to choose the candidates for these seats as he had received multiple nominees from the GRS components who were all good and influential figures.
He urged those who were not nominated to throw their support behind the chosen candidates to guarantee victory for GRS in the state polls.
Yesterday, Hajiji unveiled 51 candidates for the Sabah polls but said the coalition would contest a total of 55.
There are a total of 73 seats up for grabs in the 17th Sabah state election, which will be held on Nov 29.
GRS has formed an alliance with Pakatan Harapan for the polls.
