Kuala lumpur: Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, who also serves as the Papar Member of Parliament, has officially announced that he will not be participating in the upcoming 17th Sabah state election.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) deputy secretary-general refuted recent reports from a news portal suggesting he would vie for the Pantai Manis state assembly seat. Armizan stated, “I have no intention to contest any state assembly seats, including Pantai Manis. If I had 48 hours in a day, maybe I could consider it. But like everyone else, I only have 24 hours a day, and my current responsibilities are already challenging.”

Armizan expressed his hope for a strong representative from Pantai Manis, one who could collaborate effectively with current GRS members from Kawang and Limbahau. He remarked, “I hope there will be a Pantai Manis assemblyman from GRS who can work closely with us. Currently, we have representatives from Kawang and Limbahau (GRS), and if Pantai Manis joins, insya-Allah, we can form the best team to bring meaningful and valuable change to the Papar Parliament.” These comments were made during his attendance at the My Gaya Sabah 2025 event, dedicated to promoting the local fashion industry under the Buy Malaysian Campaign. The event was inaugurated by Toh Puan Faridah Tussin, the wife of the Yang Dipertua Negeri Sabah.

The Election Commission has set the nomination date for the Sabah state election on November 15, with early voting and polling day slated for November 25 and 29, respectively. Currently, the Pantai Manis seat is held by Datuk Mohd Tamin Zainal of Barisan Nasional, who secured the position in the last state election by a margin of 686 votes. GRS is anticipated to reveal its list of candidates for the 17th state election on November 12.