KOTA KINABALU, Sept 12 — An average of over six contestants in each of Sabah’s 73 seats look set to divide support in the state election, after the Election Commission announced that hundreds of candidates have been formally accepted today.
EC Datuk chairman Abdul Ghani Salleh said 447 candidates will take part in the two-week campaigning period that will feature 17 parties not including independents.
The election will feature a 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.
Local outfit Parti Cinta Sabah put up the most number of candidates, contesting every seat available. This was followed by Parti Warisan Sabah with 53 candidates.
United Sabah National Organisation, who had been flying under the radar, fielded 47 candidates or one more than Liberal Democratic Party.
The Barisan Nasional coalition of Umno, MCA and PBRS fielded 41 candidates while its allies Perikatan Nasional consisting of Bersatu, STAR and SAPP fielded 29. Parti Perpaduan Rakyat Sabah fielded 23 while Parti Bersatu Sabah fielded 22.
Upko fielded 12 candidates while PKR fielded seven candidates and there are 56 independents.
The EC rejected one Usno hopeful who had tried to contest Petagas as he was a bankrupt.
Men dominated the candidates list as just 43 were women.
Abdul Ghani said that the youngest to contest is a 22-year-old BN candidate in Tandek while the oldest is a 75-year-old PPRS hopeful in Bugaya.
He said the EC expected a 75 per cent voter turnout despite the recovery movement control order (RMCO) and the Covid-19 clusters emerging in Lahad Datu and Tawau.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and work with the authorities on security to reduce risks of the virus spreading. We are in touch with the State health department on this,” he said.
He said the EC expects to announce the election results by midnight on September 26.
