Sabah opposition leaders plan meeting with Anifah

STAR leader Jeffrey Kitingan says the opposition parties want to find out whether Anifah Aman plans to recontest the Kimanis parliamentary seat.

KOTA KINABALU: Several Sabah opposition leaders are expected to meet former foreign affairs minister Anifah Aman to find out his plans for the impending Kimanis parliamentary by-election before deciding whether to contest or not.

The seat has fallen vacant with the Federal Court’s decision on Monday to uphold the decision of the election court to declare Anifah’s win in the seat in the last general election null and void.

Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) chief Jeffrey Kitingan told FMT “a couple” of Sabah opposition leaders were expected to have a discussion with Anifah today on whether he plans to recontest the seat.

“We would not want to clash with Anifah and break the Kimanis votes. We would only have a better idea after we consult him,” Jeffrey said.

He did not name the other leaders but sources said they were from the Gabungan Sabah coalition co-chaired by him and the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), led by former Sabah chief Minister Yong Teck Lee.

The coalition fielded a candidate in the seat in GE14 through former partner Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (Harapan Rakyat), led by former Klias assemblyman Lajim Ukin, but its candidate lost.

Lajim left Gabungan and later dissolved Harapan Rakyat to join Sabah PPBM in April.

Without Harapan, both STAR and SAPP are understood to be unable to decide on a candidate without clashing with any of their allies.

Asked whether STAR would withdraw from the race if Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) were to contest in Kimanis – like it did in the Sandakan by-election in May – Jeffrey said it would  depend on Anifah’s decision.

Yong, meanwhile, said SAPP would hold a supreme council meeting tomorrow to discuss the matter.

“After we have come to a decision, we will consult with the other parties in Gabungan Sabah,” he told FMT.

Anak Negeri leader Henrynus Amin told FMT he had yet to decide on whether the party would field a candidate, but said they would probably lend their support to one of the contesting parties.

The former PBS secretary-general refused to say which party they would be rooting for, adding that it would depend on the candidates.

Usno information chief Musli Oli said the party would call a supreme council meeting only after the Election Commission (EC) had fixed a date for the by-election.

Following the Federal Court ruling, Parti Warisan Sabah said the seat was “non- negotiable” and that party president Shafie Apdal was expected to name the candidate at the appropriate time.

Warisan has a partnership agreement with Pakatan Harapan – comprising Sabah DAP, Sabah PKR and Sabah PPBM – and United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko).

In GE14, Warisan fielded Karim Bujang, who garnered 11,786 votes – 156 fewer than Anifah, who stood on an Umno ticket. Anifah has since left Umno to become an independent.

Karim challenged the election results, which led to the Federal Court’s decision.

EC chief Azhar Azizan Harun had said in Kota Kinabalu that a by-election could only be called once it received the official notification from the Federal Court.

The court has 12 days to issue the notification to the EC before it can hold a by-election within 60 days from receiving the notification. - FMT