The Kota Belud native is keen on returning to active politics and may take up one of the new state seats that were proposed by the Election Commission in its redelineation exercise, The Daily Express reported.
“I have seen a lot in politics, both at Federal and State levels. With my experience and wide political network nationwide, there are a lot of things that I can contribute to the stability of Sabah’s politics,” he said.
Pandikar, 64, added that he also would like to try his hand at being on the other side in the Dewan Rakyat and go for a parliamentary seat in the hope of becoming a member of parliament.
“After nine years as Speaker, leading the Commonwealth parliamentary conference and giving orders, comments and ordering elected representatives to sit down, it my wish that I, in turn, shall be in the same House and told to sit down,” Pandikar said.
He started of his political career as an elected representative in 1982, winning the Usukan state seat as an Usno candidate. He defeated Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak who was then with Parti Berjaya.
Pandikar later switched to the Tempasuk seat, but decided not to defend his seat in the 1999 general elections. He also served as speaker of the Sabah state legislative assembly from 1986 to 1988.
Should he go for a parliamentary seat, speculation is rife that Pandikar is likely to be given his hometown of Kota Belud, where Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan is the current MP
According to the Sabah-based daily, Pandikar has been spotted at almost all public functions in the town, which is also called the “Cowboy Town” of Sabah due to the buffalo riding Bajau residents.
It is also believed that Rahman will then move to Sepanggar.
“The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department had lately been meeting Umno divisional leaders as well as Barisan Nasional component leaders in Sepanggar, a seat now held by suspended Umno member Jumat Idris.
“Should Abdul Rahman contest in Sepanggar, Jumat may be fielded in the pending new State seat of Darau,” The Daily Express said.
Pandikar was also a former president of the United Sabah Bajau Organisation (Usbo), an association once headed by former Kota Belud MP and currently Communication and Multimedia Minister Salleh.
The Dewan Rakyat Speaker told Daily Express that the seat he will contest in GE14, be it parliament or state, has already been finalised but that he will leave it to the BN leadership to make the final decision.
In 2012, there was speculation that Pandikar might return to a state seat in GE13, as he was touted to take over from Musa Aman as Sabah chief minister.