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All 17 district polling centre war rooms in Sindumin had been closed with immediate effect - November 14, 2025
Sabah Polls: UMNO Sipitang refuses to back PKR candidate in sindumin,
UMNO’s Sipitang division has withdrawn all cooperation from Pakatan Harapan’s PKR candidate in the Sindumin state seat, directing its machinery to focus solely on the party’s own campaign in Lumadan
UMNO’s Sipitang division will not extend any form of cooperation to the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidate representing Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the Sindumin state constituency, following dissatisfaction over Barisan Nasional (BN) being denied the opportunity to field its own contender.
Sipitang UMNO division chief Abd Rahman Mohd Noh said the unanimous decision was reached after he chaired a special committee meeting to discuss developments arising from UMNO Sabah’s candidate announcement on 9 November.
“UMNO Sipitang Division expresses its regret that Barisan Nasional (BN) in the Sindumin state seat was not given the opportunity to field a candidate from UMNO-BN. However, for the Lumadan state seat, UMNO Sabah has announced Datuk Mohd Nazri Abdullah as the BN candidate,” he said in a statement on Thursday.
He confirmed that the division would instead give its full support to BN’s candidate in Lumadan, mobilising its election machinery exclusively for that constituency.
“However, UMNO Sipitang Division will not provide any cooperation to the PKR-PH party in the Sindumin state seat, in line with UMNO Constitution Articles 20.11 and 20.13, which do not permit assistance to candidates who have betrayed or been expelled from UMNO.”
He added that all 17 district polling centre war rooms in Sindumin had been closed with immediate effect. “All War Rooms at the 17 District Polling Centres in the Sindumin state seat have been closed immediately,” he said.
Abd Rahman stressed that BN’s election machinery in the area could not be used by any other party for campaign or political activities. “This decision was made to ensure that UMNO’s struggle and dignity in the Sipitang area continues to be defended, in line with the party’s spirit of solidarity,” he said.
Tensions escalated after Datuk Yamani Hafez, son of former Sabah Chief Minister and current Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Musa Aman, was announced last Sunday by PKR President and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as PH’s candidate for Sindumin in the 17th Sabah state election (PRN17). - November 14, 2025