The announcement was made by Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin, who said that the seat must be “reclaimed from a traitor”, Sinar Harian reported.

The Tanjung Keramat seat was won by Shahelmey Yahya, who is also Sabah deputy chief minister III, under the BN banner in the 2020 state election.

However, he was suspended by Umno on March 18, 2023 for refusing to toe the party line during an attempt to oust Sabah chief minister Hajiji Noor early last year, choosing instead to continue supporting the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) administration.

Bung urged party members and campaign machinery in the area to help Jeffrey reclaim the seat for BN, even though the Sabah assembly has not yet been dissolved.

“Our only goal is to win. There is no other option. Tanjung Keramat must be taken back from traitors as we cannot tolerate such betrayal,” he was quoted as saying at an event in Putatan last night.

The Sabah state assembly will automatically dissolve in October next year, with the state election to follow within 60 days.