BUNG MOKTAR READIES FOR LAMAG BATTLE DESPITE BEING PRIME TARGET OF RIVAL PARTIES

By Syed Iylia Hariz Al-Qadri Syed Izman

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 17 (Bernama) -- Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin says he is fully aware he has become a prime target for rivals seeking to unseat him in Lamag and weaken BN in the 17th Sabah State Election.

Bung Moktar, who is also Sabah UMNO chief, said intelligence gathered by his team indicates rival parties are deploying their full machinery to defeat him in the seat he narrowly retained in the 2020 state polls with a 661-vote majority.

Despite what he calls “political arrows” aimed at him, he remains confident BN can defend Lamag and the 44 other seats it is contesting.

“As BN Sabah chairman and UMNO Sabah chief, of course, I am the main target. I’m aware some parties will mobilise everything to stop me from winning, but I’m confident Lamag voters will still choose me and BN. I have put my full energy into serving this area,” he told Bernama.

Lamag, a rural seat about 316km from Kota Kinabalu, has emerged as one of the hottest battlegrounds this election, with issues of basic infrastructure and rural livelihoods expected to dominate.

The seat, created in the previous redelineation, continues to face challenges such as unpaved roads, limited internet access and uneven job opportunities.

For the state polls this year, Lamag hosts a six-cornered contest involving BN, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), Warisan, Perikatan Nasional (PN), Parti Impian Sabah (PIS) and an independent candidate.

Bung Moktar said that the election is not merely a fight to defend his seat, but a test of BN’s relevance as a development-driven party in Sabah.

He also dismissed rival slogans like “Sabah for Sabahans” and “choose local parties” as political rhetoric without concrete policy offerings.

“Lamag used to be a remote area. After becoming the assemblyman, I was determined to transform it. Alhamdulillah, people can now see the development. Some facilities, like a community college and sports complex, are still pending, but Lamag is now on par with other areas,” he said.

Meanwhile, political analyst Assoc Prof Dr Romzi Ationg from Universiti Malaysia Sabah said Bung Moktar maintains strong grassroots support due to his long service in Kinabatangan and his political personality.

“If Bung Moktar falls in Lamag, it reflects a wider BN problem in Sabah. He must defend this seat at all costs,” he said.

Romzi added that Lamag’s demographic profile, with 13,859 registered voters, including 33.4 per cent aged 18 to 29, makes youth voices especially influential. More than half of voters are aged 21 to 49, a group demanding jobs, economic networks and balanced community development.

“Young voters in Sabah assess candidates based on performance, not slogans. Whoever can deliver real development will win them. Vote-splitting among BN’s rivals could favour Bung Moktar,” he said.

With its vast geography, challenging logistics and rising social-media influence, Lamag could become a key indicator of rural political sentiment in Sabah.

The Election Commission has set Nov 25 for early voting and Nov 29 for polling.

For the latest on the state polls, visit Bernama’s microsite at  https://prn.bernama.com/sabah/index.php

-- BERNAMA