KOTA KINABALU, Nov 13 — Sabah Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia deputy chief Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun has denied rumours that the party will contest in the coming Batu Sapi by-election, insisting that the party has not come to a decision yet.
The senior Bersatu state leader said that the party has been busy managing the pandemic and has not made a stand on the matter.
“To be honest, none that I know. I’m the Bersatu deputy chairman in Sabah and so far we have not made a decision,” said Masidi.
The party is the only major player not to have made a stand on the matter, while the likes of Barisan Nasional, Parti Cinta Sabah, Parti Bersatu Sabah and other components of Perikatan Nasional have all declined to challenge the seat which was vacated when Parti Warisan Sabah permanent chairman Datuk Liew Vui Keong passed away last October 2.
Despite health and safety concerns, the by-election must be held due to provisions in the Federal Constitution.
Most parties said that contesting would not be prudent during the current Covid-19 flare in cases, which was arguably due to the recent state election, paving the way for Warisan to win the seat back uncontested.
A recent report in Malay language portal Sinar Harian quoted sources saying that Bersatu was considering fielding its information chief Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan in the December 5 poll.
Warisan vice-president Datuk Jaujan Sambakong had recently said that the party has identified its candidate and was fully expecting a contest.
The Batu Sapi by-election is scheduled for November 23. However, the state is still under a conditional movement control order which prohibits inter-district travel except for essential services, and the district of Sandakan, which Batu Sapi is under, is currently a red zone.
Sabah is at the epicentre of the third wave of Covid-19 infection following the snap poll last September. It has consistently recorded the highest number of daily new cases, but this has seen significant reduction over the last week.
There are still 2,472 active cases currently, with 319 new cases reported today. There have been 165 deaths in the state so far.
