KOTA KINABALU: Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) Youth Chief, Datuk Fairuz Renddan, asserted that the party president has the right to announce potential candidates for the election.
"The president leads the party, so it is within his rights to express his views on candidates. This should not be an issue," he said at a breaking fast event on Monday.
He further emphasized that the announcement of candidates for seats already held by the party should not be disputed.
Referring to Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor's announcement of Datuk Arsyad Bestari as the candidate for the Tempasuk state seat, Fairuz described it as normal since the seat belongs to Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
He also criticized those questioning the candidate announcement, stressing that it does not infringe on the rights of other parties.
Previously, the Parti Keadilan Rakyat Sabah Leadership Council Chairman, Datuk Mustapha Sakmud, stated that candidate announcements by party presidents could hinder cooperation with Pakatan Harapan (PH).
Meanwhile, Fairuz plans to propose several young candidates for the upcoming 17th state election (PRN), in line with young voters' preference for candidate credibility over party affiliation.
He also expressed his willingness to defend the Pintasan state seat but emphasized that the priority is serving the people, not personal interests.
