GRS and BN who have struck a cordial relationship to administer the Sabah state government had pledged their commitment to not cross paths in GE15 but the relationship was marred when parties that formed the coalition breached the understanding for the Beluran and Ranau parliamentary seats.
Bersatu vice-president Ronald Kiandee will be defending the Beluran parliamentary seat which he has held since 1999.
Kiandee, who is the agriculture and food industry minister, is contesting under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) banner but will face GRS-BN candidate Benedict Asmat in a five-cornered fight.
For the Ranau parliamentary seat, former Ranau MP Ewon Ebin will be contesting the seat under Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), and will face incumbent Jonathan Yasin from GRS-PN in a five-cornered fight.
Ebin is a former science, technology and innovation minister under the Najib Razak administration. PBRS is a BN component party.
In Tenom, there was some commotion at the nomination centre after the Election Commission (EC) rejected Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) president Peter Anthony’s nomination papers.
According to Sabah police commissioner Idris Abdullah, the EC had rejected Peter’s nomination because he has an outstanding case in court.
About 300 of his supporters who were at the nomination centre were angered by the decision and tried to storm into Dewan DSP Antanom at about 11.30am yesterday.
The incident ended at 2.38pm after a discussion with the relevant authorities. Peter later lodged a police report and pledged to seek legal redress at the High Court.
Tenom will see a five-cornered fight involving incumbent Noorita Sual (PH-DAP), Jamawi Jaafar (GRS-BN), Ukim Buandi (Warisan), and two independent candidates Riduan Rubin and Peggy Chaw Zhi Ting.
Meanwhile, the Bugaya state seat by-election which will be held simultaneously with GE15, sees a seven-cornered fight involving Jamil Hamzah from Warisan, Abd Aziz Mohd Ibno (BN-UMNO), Arastam Pandorog (PH-PKR), Mohd Hassan Abu Bakar (Pejuang), Nazmawati Walli (PBM), Karil Pg Kuraini (PPRS) and independent candidate Zulfadzli Shi Ahmad.
The seat fell vacant when incumbent Manis Muka Mohd Darah passed away in November 2020. The by-election was postponed due to the proclamation of emergency to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
On Oct 6 this year, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah consented to lifting six ordinances and emergency proclamations declared in November and December 2020 to postpone the Batu Sapi and Gerik parliamentary by-elections and the Bugaya state by-election.