TUARAN, Nov 12 — Further strain has begun to show in the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-Barisan Nasional (GRS-BN) electoral pact, with the former’s Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor telling Umno to punish a member for violating their seat allocations for the 15th general election.
The GRS chairman said the Tuaran Umno division must act against its member, Noortaip Suhaili @ Sualee, who is contesting the seat as an independent against Parti Bersatu Sabah candidate Datuk Joniston Bangkuai who was the endorsed candidate for the seat.
Hajiji said he had spoken to Umno Tuaran chief Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan and his deputy Datuk Jasnih Daya about the matter.
"We must take stern action because we don't want the people to be confused," he said at the meet-the-people session at the Pusat Kebudayaan Rumpun Bajau Sama Sabah in Kampung Lok Batik here today.
He said action must be taken in any seats where either the parties from the pact or their members have violated their agreement for GE15.
The Tuaran seat is a six-cornered fight between Bangkuai, Noortaip, incumbent Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau from Pakatan Harapan, Parti Warisan’s Jo-Anna Sue Henley Rampas, Parti Pejuang’s Mominin Norbinsha and independent Bobi Lewat.
Including Noortaip, the GRS-BN pact has taken “friendly fire” in four seats.
In Beluran, Bersatu incumbent Datuk Ronald Kiandee is defending his seat for the sixth time on a Perikatan Nasional ticket against Umno candidate Benedict Asmat while in Ranau, BN’s Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah(PBRS)’s Datuk Ewon Ebin is contesting on a PBRS ticket against Bersatu’s Datuk Jonathan Yasin.
In Tenom, former Bersatu Tenom youth chief Riduan Rubin is contesting as an independent against Umno’s Datuk Jamawi Jaafar.
