KOTA KINABALU, Nov 2 — The Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-Barisan Nasional (GRS-BN) ruling coalition has announced its list of candidates, which includes nine new faces, vying for 25 parliamentary seats.

One seat was left out, the contentious Beluran seat which is held by incumbent Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia vice-president Datuk Ronald Kiandee.

Caretaker deputy finance minister Datuk Hafez Yamani Musa was dropped from the Sipitang seat in favour of Datuk Matbali Musah.

Also dropped were Kudat’s four-term MP Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri, Beaufort’s two-term MP Datuk Azizah Dun and Libaran’s one-term MP Datuk Zakaria Edris.

Defector Ranau MP Datuk Jonathan Yasin, who won the seat in GE14 under a PKR ticket but later joined Bersatu, was retained to defend his seat.

Several candidates are also current state assemblymen, including two deputy chief ministers — Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin who will defend Kinabatangan and Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan who will defend Keningau.

PBS president and caretaker federal minister Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili will be taking on the Kota Marudu seat while PBRS president Datuk Arthur Kurup will contest the Pensiangan seat.

Kiulu assemblyman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, from Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), will be contesting the Tuaran seat against incumbent Upko president Datuk Wilfred Tangau.

Meanwhile, the first-time candidates are PBS’s Kota Kinabalu candidate Yee Tsai Yew, PBS’ Tawau candidate Lo Shu Fui Bersatu’s Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali in Papar, Bersatu’s Khairul Firdaus Akbarkhan in Batu Sapi, Bersatu’s Nixon Abdul Habi in Semporna, SAPP’s candidate Thomas Lau in Sandakan and Umno Aslan Fadli Shamsul Alang in Kalabakan.

The only three women in the line-up — Umno’s Datuk Siti Aminah Aching for the Beaufort seat, Datin Maizatul Akmam Alwi for the Lahad Datu seat, also from Umno, and Yee — are also newcomers.

Of the 24 candidates named today, seven are sitting state assemblymen.

Excluding Beluran, Umno has the lion’s share of seats with 10 seats to contest, followed by Bersatu with six, PBS with four, STAR with two and SAPP with one.

Umno also named Abdul Aziz Md Ibno in the Bugaya state seat where a by-election will be held.