The Kota Marudu MP said Barisan Nasional (BN) would also field at least one additional woman candidate.
The Sabah-based party has a reputation of fielding older politicians and not giving enough chance to young leaders, which Ongkili has been trying to change since PBS president Joseph Pairin Kitingan entrusted him to manage and transform the party.
Ongkili, who is federal energy, green technology and water minister, said that the party would still nominate candidates from previous polls, creating a good mix of old and new faces.
“The list is being finalised and will only be revealed on nomination day (Apr 28),” he said after attending the Yayasan Hijau Malaysia tour in Tawau yesterday.
PBS contested 13 state and five parliamentary seats in the last elections, winning seven and four respectively.
On the party’s chances of recapturing the Sri Tanjong state seat last won by DAP and defending the Tawau parliamentary seat, Ongkili said PBS was better prepared this time compared to 2013.
“I have met with the PBS’ Tawau and Semporna division chiefs and I am satisfied with their level of preparedness.
“I believe with the cooperation of all component parties in BN, we can defend Tawau and get back Sri Tanjong,” he said.
In 2013, Sabah DAP secretary Chan Foong Hin defeated PBS candidate Fung Len Fui in the race for Sri Tanjong by 5,927 votes. Tawau is currently held by PBS’ Mary Yap, now a federal deputy higher education minister.
Chan will not defend the seat after DAP announced he would swap seats with Kota Kinabalu MP Jimmy Wong in the upcoming polls.
Ongkili said he was confident PBS would perform better in both seats.
“We can see positive changes in the people’s opinion and feelings about BN. However, we still need to work hard despite these favourable opinions,” he said.