SAPP, STAR all geared to go
Sabah is seen as the ‘real’ battleground for BN in the 13th general election where Najib Tun Razak is hoping to secure his two-thirds majority edge.
Luke Rintod, FMT
KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Musa Aman is expected to call for a press conference to announce the dissolution of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly later today.
FMT learned that Musa’s officers are already busily arranging for it, while he is at his weekly state Cabinet meeting here.
The press conference is likely to be held at Sri Gaya, Musa’s official residence, just a stone’s throw from the palace where Musa will be meeting the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, Juhar Mahirudin, to get his official consent for the dissolution.
The Sabah Legislative Assembly has 60 seats. Also at stake are 25 parliamentary seats.
Sabah is seen as the “real” battleground for Barisan Nasional in the defining election. It is the state which caretaker Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak hopes will give him his much-needed two-thirds majority to lead BN for another five-year term.
But the road in Sabah may be more difficult for Najib, what with Pakatan Rakyat and Jeffrey Kitingan-led State Reform Party (STAR) having gained much ground – courtesy of the Sabah Royal Commission of Inquiry looking into the citizenship-for-votes scam.
Speaking to FMT, STAR secretary Guande Kohoi said it would be an “interesting elections” which could produce “surprising results”.
The party, he said, had been working the ground for over two years and is “geared to go”.
“We are headed for an interesting election with interesting and perhaps some surprising results,” he said, adding that Najib’s announcement of the dissolution of Parliament this morning was a relief and will pave the way for political parties to introduce their candidates openly to the voters.
STAR is expected to contest in 40 state and 16 parliamentary constituencies, according to its deputy chairman Daniel Jambun.
SAPP slighted but ready
Jambun had earlier this month said that STAR had identified several “focused” areas where it will give its all. These included eight parliamentary seats: Kota Marudu, Kota Belud, Penampang, Ranau, Keningau, Tenom, Pensiangan and Beluran.
“The hot state seats are Pitas, Matunggung, Tandek, Tempasuk, Kedamaian, Tamparuli, Kiulu, Inanam, Kepayan, Moyog, Kundasang, Keranaan, Paginatan, Tambunan, Bingkor, Liawan, Melalap, Kemabong, Sook, Nabawan, Sugut, Labuk and Kuamut,” Jambun said.
Meanwhile, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) deputy president Amde Sidek and supreme council member Peter Marajin said it was good that the prime minister had ended his “big charade”.
