KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 — Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Sungai Sibuga candidate Mohammad Hamsan Awang Supain today said former Sabah chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman has wished him well in the contest for the latter’s seat.

Hasman said Musa, who was unceremoniously dropped from contesting the seat he had held since 1994, conveyed the message through an aide.

"Yes, he (Musa) sent his regards to me. He (Musa) contacted me through his right-hand man,” Hasmas was quoted as saying in a Malaysiakini report.

"He said I must make sure that Sungai Sibuga does not fall to Warisan. We must keep the tradition that Sungai Sibuga belongs to BN,” the retired civil servant said.

Musa had led an abortive takeover of the Sabah government but was thwarted when Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal moved to dissolve the state assembly in response.

He had been expected to lead the charge against Shafie’s Warisan Plus coalition but was completely left out when Barisan Nasional named its candidates.

Musa also did not feature in the line-up of the allied Perikatan Nasional or that of his brother Datuk Seri Anifah Aman’s Parti Cinta Sabah.

Hamsan is facing Warisan’s Armani Mahiruddin and candidates from the Liberal Democratic Party, PCS, and Parti Perpaduan Rakyat Sabah.

Polling for the Sabah state election is on September 26.