KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 6 — Barisan Nasional (BN) does not anticipate an intense contest in the run-up to the Lamag state seat and Kinabatangan parliamentary by-elections scheduled for January 24.

According to Berita Harian, BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this was because Sabah had only recently concluded its state election on November 29, while the Kinabatangan parliamentary term has about two years remaining.

“I do not see the need for a very intense campaign. We know one another and we are also on friendly terms.

“What matters is that in the Kinabatangan parliamentary constituency, the continuity of the best service carried out by the late Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin can be continued by his son, Mohd Naim Kurniawan Moktar,” he said when commenting on the possibility of one-on-one contests in both Lamag and Kinabatangan against candidates from Parti Warisan.

Ahmad Zahid said BN had also decided to field former Independent candidate Mohd Ismail Ayob as a direct party candidate, as it did not want the Lamag electorate to remain divided, especially since he narrowly lost to Bung Moktar by just 153 votes in the recent state election.

As such, he said BN hoped that by naming Mohd Ismail as its candidate, he would be able to draw in his supporters and unite BN voters to secure victory.

Yesterday, Warisan announced that former Sukau assemblyman Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman would be the party’s candidate for the Kinabatangan parliamentary by-election.

Warisan also selected Mazliwati Abdul Malek, who previously contested the Kinabatangan parliamentary seat in the 15th general election, as its candidate for the Lamag state by-election.

Both the Lamag and Kinabatangan seats were vacated following the death of Bung Moktar, who was also Sabah BN chairman, on December 5.

The Election Commission has set Polling Day for both by-elections on January 24, with Nomination Day and early voting scheduled for January 10 and January 20 respectively.

Bung Moktar defended the Lamag seat in the 17th Sabah state election on November 29 with a majority of 153 votes.