BN NOT TAKING KINABATANGAN, LAMAG BY-ELECTIONS LIGHTLY- AHMAD MASLAN

KINABATANGAN, Jan 9 (Bernama) -- Barisan Nasional (BN) is not taking lightly the competition it will face in the Kinabatangan parliamentary and Lamag state by-elections.

UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Maslan said this was due to the fact that there will be candidates fielded by other parties in both by-elections, although he is confident that BN has the advantage.

"BN may have the advantage in gaining sympathy votes following the passing of former Sabah BN chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, but don't be too confident. We don't want to gain sympathy votes over the death...but I think there's no point in switching to another party because previously the party that won both seats was BN.

"Give the two young candidates a chance to maintain BN's victory," he told reporters after a working visit to the Pan Borneo Highway Project's Work Package 25, here today.

The Kinabatangan parliamentary and Lamag state by-elections were held following the death of the incumbent, Bung Moktar, 66, on Dec 5.

The son of the late Bung Moktar, Mohd Naim Kurniawan, who is also the Kinabatangan UMNO Youth chief, has been named as the BN candidate for the Kinabatangan parliamentary seat, while former Independent candidate in the 17th Sabah state election, Mohd Ismail Ayob, known as Miha will represent BN in the Lamag state seat.

Parti Warisan has named former Sukau assemblyman Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman as its candidate for the Kinabatangan parliamentary seat while party Supreme Council member Mazliwati Abdul Malek has been named as its candidate for the Lamag state seat.

The Election Commission has set tomorrow as the nomination day for both by-elections and Jan 24 as polling day while early voting is set for Jan 20.

-- BERNAMA