KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin has no right to impose his choice of candidate on voters, says Datuk Ronald Kiandee.
“He should practise a healthy campaign based on the law and not willingly violate the election law such as threats, coercion and so on,” the incumbent Beluran MP said in a statement on Sunday (Nov 13).
Kiandee added that a report will also be filed with the police and Election Commission over Bung Moktar’s statement.
Kiandee also called for campaigns that used coercion to be stopped by Barisan.
He was responding to Bung Moktar’s statement that action will be taken against any Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-Barisan Nasional (GRS-BN) leaders that supported candidates from other parties.
It includes village heads, the Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK) and government officials who support opposing candidates other than GRS-BN.
“I am confident that the people of Beluran will rise up to reject and oppose the desperate tactics and campaign being carried out by Bung Moktar simply to defend their candidate in the Beluran parliamentary seat,” said Kiandee who is also Bersatu vice president.
Beluran is seeing a five-cornered fight and the candidates include Kiandee, GRS-Barisan’s Benedict Asmat, Rowiena Rasid of Warisan, Hausing Sudin of Pejuang and Feliz Joseph Saang of Pakatan Harapan (Upko).
Kiandee had justified his wild card entry to supporters saying Barisan had hijacked the GRS platform.