SEPANGGAR, Nov 9 — No action will be taken against Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), a Barisan Nasional (BN) component, for fielding its own candidate in the Ranau parliamentary seat in breach of the coalition’s electoral pact with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
Sabah BN chairman Datuk Bung Moktar Radin said his coalition had already made its stand clear and issued a directive to all component parties not to contest against its GRS allies, whether in Ranau or anywhere else in the Borneo state for the November 19 vote.
“Action cannot be taken because they’ve used their own logo. But we never consented,” he told reporters after a ceramah in Kampung Warisan here last night.
Bung said that the coalition could not punish PBRS as the component party’s candidate did not use the BN logo.
Despite this unsanctioned challenge and a couple of other overlaps, Bung said Sabah BN-GRS ties are still intact.
“We are good. Except maybe there’s a few places where I need to deal with them. Will settle it within one or two days,” he said.
He was ostensibly referring to BN campaigners in Ranau, where PBRS’s Datuk Ewon Ebin is contesting against a GRS-Bersatu candidate, incumbent Datuk Jonathan Yasin.
Umno will also have to contend with “friendly fire” in the Beluran parliamentary seat from Bersatu vice-president Datuk Ronald Kiandee who is seeking re-election on a Perikatan Nasional ticket.
In Tenom, the Bersatu Youth division chief Riduan Rubin is also contesting against Umno’s Datuk Jamawi Jaafar as an independent.
Sabah Bersatu chief Datuk Hajiji Noor, who is also chief minister, has said that they could not stop anyone from contesting.