LAWMAKERS who defected from Umno to Bersatu in Sabah have not been given seats to contest in the upcoming general election by either Barisan Nasional (BN) or Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).

According to reports, four of five such MPs missed out on being fielded as candidates in the November 19 polls. 

The four are Azizah Mohd Dun (Beaufort), Zakaria Mohd Edris (Libaran), Abdul Rahim Bakri (Kudat) and Yamani Hafez Musa (Sipitang).

The status of former Beluran MP Ronald Kiandee is still unsure and his fate is expected to be known on Saturday, on nomination day, as BN and GRS are likely to announce their candidates then. 

Under the BN-GRS pact, Bersatu will be allowed to field candidates for Kudat and Sipitang while Umno will field its picks for Libaran and Beaufort.

GRS is a coalition comprising Sabah Bersatu, STAR, Parti Bersatu Sabah, United Sabah National Organisation and Sabah Progressive Party.

The only lawmaker who defected and managed to make the cut so far is Jonathan Yasin for Ranau. He defected from PKR to Bersatu in 2020.

Kenny Chua, an assemblyman, who defected and showed support for former Sabah chief minister Musa Aman, also made the list. He is STAR’s candidate for Penampang.

Chua was appointed a member of the Sabah legislative assembly in 2018. He defected in 2020.

Meanwhile, Umno’s Abdul Rahman Dahlan will be returning to contest in Kota Belud, challenging incumbent Isnaraissah Munida Majilis from Warisan.

Rahman was a two-time MP for Kota Belud from 2008 until 2013.

Of the 24 candidates for parliamentary seats announced, three are state ministers and three others are assistant ministers.

The following is the full list of candidates:

Kudat – Ruddy Awah (GRS-Bersatu)

Kota Marudu – Maximus Ongkili (GRS-PBS)

Kota Belud – Abdul Rahman Dahlan (BN-Umno)

Tuaran – Joniston Bangkuai (GRS-PBS)

Sepanggar – Yakub Khan (BN-Umno)

Kota Kinabalu – Yee Tsai Yew (GRS-PBS)

Putatan – Shahelmey Yahya (BN-Umno)

Penampang – Kenny Chua (GRS-STAR)

Papar – Armizan Mohd Ali (GRS-Bersatu)

Kimanis – Mohamad Alamin (BN-Umno)

Beaufort – Siti Aminah Aching (BN-Umno)

Sipitang – Matbali Musa (GRS-Umno)

Ranau – Jonathan Yassin (GRS-Bersatu)

Keningau – Jeffrey Kitingan (GRS-STAR)

Tenom – Jamawi Jaafar (BN-Umno)

Pensiangan – Arthur Joseph Kurup (BN-PBRS)

Libaran – Suhaimi Nasir (BN-Umno)

Batu Sapi – Khairul Firdaus Akhbar Khan (GRS-Bersatu)

Sandakan – Thomas Lau (GRS-SAPP)

Kinabatangan – Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Umno)

Lahad Datu – Maizatul Akmam Alawi (BN-Umno)

Semporna – Nixon Abdul Hadi (GRS-Bersatu)

Tawau – Lo Su Fui (GRS-PBS)

Kalabakan – Aslan Fadli Samsul Alang (BN-Umno). – November 2, 2022.