The Sabah BN chairman expressed hope that seat negotiations would be finalised to ensure that the two coalitions do not clash at the Nov 29 polls.

However, he refused to identify the state seats concerned.

“We will finalise it on Saturday,” he told FMT.

Separately, a source told FMT that there were seven seats that both BN and PH were eyeing, including Gum-Gum, Segama, Sindumin, Tanjung Aru, Liawan and Kemabong.

And according to the source, who did not wish to be named, Umno could win six out of the seven seats.

“So, which seat should we give PH?”

The source added that BN would announce its candidates on Nov 8. And these candidates would have to sign an agreement not to jump ship after the polls or risk paying damages of RM100 million to the party.

Last month, PH secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail claimed that seat negotiations between the two coalitions were nearly done, with only two to three seats requiring further discussion.

It had been previously reported that Libaran Umno had declared it wanted to contest in Gum-Gum, despite PH and the Umno secretariat previously agreeing that the seat be given to PH.

DAP is also said to be eying two rural seats, apart from contesting in Tanjung Aru, which was previously won by Warisan.

DAP and PKR had also in August suggested for former Tenom MP Noorita Sual to contest the Kemabong seat, which had been represented by Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah vice-president Rubin Balang, prior to the dissolution of the state assembly on Oct 6.

PGRS is part of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, the coalition with which PH has also formed a pact. BN and GRS, however, have refused to work together.