KOTA KINABALU, Dec 16 — The Gabungan Rakyat Sabah coalition will likely not contest the upcoming Kinabatangan parliamentary and Lamag state by-election out of respect for the late Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

Hajiji, who is Sabah GRS chairman said that the matter has yet to be discussed at the party and coalition level but said that this was the current sentiment.

“I would like to say that most likely, we will not be contesting. We will give our respect to the party that won. Coincidentally, they are now part of the current state government,” he said to reporters at the State Assembly building here today.

Bung, the six-term MP for Kinabatangan and two-term state assemblyman for Lamag, died just a few days after winning the latter seat in the recent state polls on November 29.

He was also Sabah Barisan Nasional and Sabah Umno chief.

Hajiji, who was Bung’s political rival before his death, said that they will help the party win the election in the coming by-election set for January 24.

“We will discuss whether it will be one or both seats, but in principle, we will give way,” he said, adding that the matter will be discussed with BN and Umno first.

In the recent polls, Bung, had won the seat with 3,908 votes, with a majority of 153 votes over independent candidate Mohd Ismail Ayub. GRS’s candidate Johainizamshah Johari secured 1,646 votes. Three other parties lost their deposit.