THE Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu today said a member of her clergy contesting as a candidate in the 14th general election was doing it in his personal capacity and was not backed by the church.

Catholic priest Andau Yasun@Bruno is contesting the Ranau parliamentary seat on a Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) ticket.

Archbishop John Wong Soo said Father Bruno had expressed his wish to leave the priesthood in March last year.

However, he was granted a year’s sabbatical in the hope that “he would renew his priestly spirit and return to serve the church”, Wong said in a statement.

“It is clear now that Fr Bruno Andau Yasun has chosen a different path by entering into partisan politics and standing as a candidate in the election for public office.

“All I wish to say is that he is doing so on his own volition and not with the consent or blessing of our church,” he said.

Father Bruno is among the 27 PCS candidates contesting in the general election. He is up against former federal minister Ewon Ebin of Upko.

A Ranau native, Father Bruno has served as priest in Tambunan, Sandakan, Ranau, Telupid, Tuaran, Papar and Limbahau and in 2014, he took charge of a new parish in Kiulu. – April 30, 2018.