SEPANGGAR, Nov 3 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) is expected to contest 40 seats in the 17th Sabah State Election (PRN17) on Nov 29.

PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the number of seats the PN component parties would allocate among themselves would be known on Nov 11.

“We are still reviewing all the names proposed for endorsement. In PAS, we have the Syura Council to check our candidates.

“In Perikatan Nasional (PN), we have the akujanji (pledge of agreement) which all candidates must sign before the letter of authorisation is given to them,” Tuan Ibrahim told a press conference after launching the election machinery for Karambunai constituency, Saturday.

When Sabah officially took charge of its own electricity and gas regulation under the present Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) Government in 2023 and 2024, it was a turning point few expected would happen so swiftly.

He also said the “Sabah for Sabahans” sentiment of Sabah parties was something normal, similar to the “Bangsa Johor” slogan in Johor and the “Gagasan Terengganu Kita” in Terengganu.

“The sentiment will not affect Sabahans’ support for national parties, particularly PN, as the presence of national parties in the state had been long accepted.

“Sabah’s history is a bit different because from the beginning, there was already Barisan Nasional (BN) and later PN which consists of PAS, Bersatu and Gerakan. 

“We are confident that this time, Sabah voters will choose PN because although the party president is from Malaya, all PN leaders in Sabah are Sabahans.” 

Tuan Ibrahim said for now, PN is focusing solely on cooperation among its component parties before considering any collaboration with other parties after the PRN17 results are announced.

“What’s important now is that we win under the PN ticket. As for alliances and so on, that’s not on our minds at the moment. We are going all out with our full strength for PN,” he said.

He added that the current crisis in Bersatu will not affect PN’s machinery in preparing for PRN17.

Present were Sabah PAS election director Tan Sri Annuar Musa and Sabah PAS commissioner Datuk Dr Aliakbar Gulasan who is expected to be the PN candidate for Karambunai. — Daily Express