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PERIKATAN Nasional (PN) is likely to contest up to 40 Sabah State Legislative Assembly (DUN) seats in the 17th State Election (PRN-17), exceeding its initial target of 36 seats.
PAS Deputy President Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the number of seats the coalition will contest may increase after taking into account the potential of several additional areas.
"I think there are additional seats, maybe 40 seats," he said.
Tuan Ibrahim said the official announcement of the Sabah PN candidates will be made in the near future after the process of finalising the list is completed.
"We are still in the final stages of finalising the seats. The declaration of candidates and the launch of the machinery throughout Sabah will be announced later, on 7 or 8 November next week. The candidates declaration is scheduled for 11 November.
"The candidates are currently being scrutinized and being considered for us to approve. In PAS, we have a Syura Council that will review all our candidates.
"In PN, we have an undertaking to all candidates that will be made before the credentials are given to the candidates on November 11. So the question of seats, who the candidates are, will be decided on that date," he said.
Asked about the PAS candidate for the Karambunai state seat, he hinted that Sabah PAS Commissioner Datuk Dr Aliakbar Gulasan would be nominated as the candidate, but the matter has not yet been finalized.
“Yes, I can’t announce it yet. Let’s keep it a little ‘suspense’. God willing, we are confident in Karambunai… like the candidate next to me, but I can’t confirm it yet. But God willing, our candidate is the best ... the choice of the people,” he said.
Commenting on whether the performance of Aliakbar, who is also a former nominated State Assemblyman (Adun), could be a catalyst for the people's support for PAS in Sabah, he saw it as a positive development from voters.
"I understand that the response of the voters in Sabah towards Dr Aliakbar is because he continues to serve despite not having a specific constituency and continues to go down to the ground.
"So this is what the people value, throughout his term as a nominated assemblyman, he served the people. So I think, it is very positive," he said.
Meanwhile, Sabah PN Election Machinery Director, Tan Sri Annuar Musa said, early surveys showed that the people's support for PN is increasing in several areas.
"In general, from the surveys I have done in areas where we have the potential to contest, it seems that the enthusiasm of the machinery and the response from the people is very high. This is a good start," he said.
According to Annuar, the readiness and strength of the grassroots machinery is also the basis for the seat-sharing negotiation process in Sabah.
"I have seen the situation in the East Coast, in Tawau, Kalabakan, in Lahad Datu a lot... That's why the seat negotiations are also based on the willingness of the machinery at the grassroots, all of them are enthusiastic," he explained.
"That's why I think, as Datuk Seri mentioned earlier, the number of seats being contested may have increased to more than 36 seats because of the good response," he said. – November 1, 2025