KOTA KINABALU, Oct 12 — Suspended Umno duo Datuk Shahelmey Yahya and Datuk Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy intend to contest under the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) banner in the upcoming 17th Sabah election, a move that could reshape political alliances in the state and beyond.
Sabah caretaker chief minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, who is also GRS chairman and Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah president, said both men had expressed their desire to contest under GRS but that their status would be decided later, The Star reported.
“Their wish now is to represent or contest under the GRS ticket,” Hajiji told reporters after officiating the Tamu Suara 360: Aspirasi Anak Muda programme at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here yesterday.
He added that he had no objections to their intention, describing both men as capable leaders.
Shahelmey is the caretaker deputy chief minister III and state works minister, as well as the Putatan MP and Tanjung Keramat assemblyman, while Andi serves as the caretaker assistant industrial development and entrepreneurship minister, Kalabakan MP and Tanjung Batu assemblyman.
Both were among several Umno assemblymen who withdrew support from the party in 2023 to back GRS during the putsch to unseat Hajiji as chief minister.
The others included Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob (Sindumin), Datuk Jasnih Daya (Pantai Dalit), Datuk Mohd Arsad Bistari (Tempasuk), Datuk James Ratib (Sugut) and Datuk Hamid Awang (Balung).
Shahelmey and Andi were later suspended from Umno, with Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin saying the party would not re-elect them in the upcoming state polls.
Their decision to contest under the GRS banner could trigger the federal anti-hopping law, potentially leading to by-elections for their Putatan and Kalabakan parliamentary seats, which they won under Barisan Nasional.
Separately, Andi is facing a corruption charge in the Special Corruption Court for allegedly receiving RM150,000 in May 2023 to help secure a mineral prospecting licence, to which he has pleaded not guilty, with the next mention set for Oct 21, 2025.
Hajiji said GRS has yet to finalise its list of candidates for the state polls, noting that nomination day is still far off, and confirmed that seat distribution talks with Pakatan Harapan (PH) are ongoing.
He said the coalition recently met with PH secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to discuss seat allocations, adding that they hope to reach a final agreement soon.
When asked about PH’s reported demand for 20 or more seats, Hajiji said it was normal for any coalition partner to request a larger share of constituencies.
However, he stressed that GRS would focus on contesting seats where it has the strongest chance of winning, describing the approach as practical.
