Hamzah, who is also the PN deputy chairman, said the candidate would “of course” be a Sabahan.

“Why should I tell you now? This is the kind of question reporters always ask, but which we will never answer until the very last day,” he said when asked about PN’s chief minister candidate at a press conference after opening the general assemblies of the Bersatu Youth and women’s wings here today.

“We all know this is about Sabah. Of course, the candidate will be a Sabahan, and all those contesting will be from Sabah.

“Our role is to give full support to ensure the victory of our colleagues in Sabah.”

The Sabah state assembly’s term expires on Nov 11, unless dissolved earlier. An election must be held within 60 days of dissolution.

Chief minister Hajiji Noor previously hinted that the state assembly may be dissolved in the coming weeks, but stopped short of revealing the exact date. He also said that the next polls may be his last.

Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM), a Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-friendly party, has already named its deputy president, Wetrom Bahanda, as its chief minister candidate if it succeeds in forming the next state government.