BEAUFORT: Amanah Sabah has rebuked Gagasan Rakyat Lumadan Chief Datuk Mazlan Joehari Manan for questioning its right to contest the Lumadan seat in the coming state election.
Its Deputy Chairman Hashim Deris said Mazlan’s remarks reflect political immaturity and ignore Amanah’s strong grassroots presence in the area.
He said Amanah has been active in Sipitang, which includes Lumadan and Sindumin, for over five years with growing membership.
“Amanah is not a new party here, we’ve established branches and built solid support,” he said, adding that in the 15th General Election (GE15), Amanah’s candidate Datuk Lahirul Latigu secured over 2,500 votes in Lumadan alone.
Responding to Mazlan’s claim that Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) enjoys strong support in Lumadan, Hashim said GRS has never been tested in the constituency.
He noted that Sipitang MP Datuk Matbali Musa contested under Perikatan Nasional (PN) during GE15, not GRS.
“It’s misleading to claim electoral strength when the coalition hasn’t been to the ballot box,” he added.
Hashim said his statement was not aimed at creating friction within the ruling of GRS-PH coalition, but to defend Amanah’s credibility.
“We don’t mind if the candidate under GRS-PH Plus isn’t from Amanah, as long as the decision is based on merit,” he said.
He said candidate selection should be left to top leadership, including the Prime Minister and Chief Minister.
“All parties should focus on unity and avoid statements that could trigger internal rifts ahead of the election,” he said.
