KOTA KINABALU, Nov 20 — Two pairs of brothers have won seats in adjacent federal constituencies in Sabah.
On the east coast, Parti Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and his brother Datuk Yusof Apdal took the Semporna and Lahad Datu seat respectively.
Both were favourites to win and received a majority of 20,810 and 4,376 votes respectively.
Shafie convincingly beat his nearest opponent, GRS’ Nixon Abdul Habi, who garnered 7,892 votes, while Pakatan Harapan’s Arastam Pandorog won 1,848 votes. The voter turnout was 48 per cent. Gerakan Tanah Air’s Rajik Hamid won just 467 votes.
Yusof Apdal won Lahad Datu, which incumbent Datuk Mohammadin Ketapi had declined to defend, with 27,116 votes to Barisan Nasional opponent, Maizatul Akmam Alawi’s 22,740 votes. DAP’s Sia Yu Hock won 8,289 votes.
In the north of the state, meanwhile, Parti Kesejateraan Demokratik Masyarakat (PKDM) deputy president Datuk Wetrom Bahanda took the Kota Marudu seat from Parti Bersatu Sabah president Datuk Maximus Ongkili with a convincing 8,174 majority.
Wetrom, who is the Bandau assemblyman and former assistant minister to the Sabah chief minister, created controversy when he quit the ruling government a few weeks before the election to contest against Ongkili.
Ongkili won 16,144 votes, Warisan’s Datuk Jilid Kuminding 5,320 votes, Muda’s Shahrizal Denci 3,225 votes, independent Norman Tulang 660 votes and Pejuang’s Mohd Azmi Zulkiflee 279 votes.
Wetrom’s younger brother Verdon Bahanda, running on an independent ticket, scored a surprise win in the Kudat seat against Gabungan Rakyat Sabah’s Datuk Seri Ruddy Awah, winning with a 1,967-vote majority.
Verdon, a first-time candidate, who owns Kinabalu Jaguar FC (KJFC) took the Kudat seat in a five-cornered fight against Ruddy.
The latter, who is the state assistant science, technology and innovation minister, polled 14,356 votes to Verdon’s 16,323.
