Kota kinabalu: UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed that the party will only field candidates in constituencies with high potential to win in the 17th Sabah State Election. The Deputy Prime Minister said Sabah UMNO has been given the autonomous power to select candidates to be fielded according to its own arrangements.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ahmad Zahid emphasized the party’s strategic approach by stating, ‘However, we must acknowledge the fact that we only field candidates in state seats that have the potential to win and we will prioritise candidates that have been put forward by Sabah UMNO.’ He mentioned that up to five potential candidates have been proposed, but further examination of the candidates and the seats is necessary to ensure their likelihood of success.
The announcement was made during a press conference after Ahmad Zahid officiated the Mooda @ Desa X PNG Carnival: Penanak Culture Sabah at Pantai ODEC Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). As the Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, he also highlighted ongoing discussions with Pakatan Harapan (PH) to prevent overlap in candidate selection for the election, while negotiations with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) are still underway.
On a separate note, when questioned about the court’s decision regarding the allocation of 40 per cent of federal revenue to Sabah, Ahmad Zahid acknowledged the importance of respecting the decision. He mentioned that the government would review the decision, with the matter expected to be brought to the cabinet for further discussion by the Prime Minister.