KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 — Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir reiterated today that the Pejuang party was not taking part in the Sabah election and said no independent candidate should claim to represent it.

The former Kedah mentri besar said the still-unregistered party has neither fielded nor endorsed any candidate for the premature state election.

He pointed out that the party announced previously that it was not taking part in the election.

"As such, anyone claiming to represent Pejuang has no links with the party leadership, and most definitely do not have our blessings to be a Pejuang candidate in this state election,” he said in a statement today.

Pejuang is the latest political vehicle of former Bersatu chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who formed it after he lost control of the latter party and had his membership revoked.

The Election Commission confirmed this afternoon that 447 candidates have been accepted in the state election for 73 seats.

Independent candidates will be prominent in this election in which there were no direct contests in any of the seats.

The election will feature an 11-cornered fight in Bengkoka, a 10-way contest in Inanam as well as three nine-man scrums.

There were also 26 seats with six contestants, 15 with five, and 13 featuring seven distinct candidates.

Voting for the state election is on September 26.