Max in four-cornered fight for Kota Marudu

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KOTA KINABALU: Incumbent Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili will face a four-cornered battle for the Kota Marudu parliamentary seat.

The deputy president of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) is expected to face a strong challenge from Datuk Maijol Mahap, a former vice president of Upko.

Maijol quit the party in the middle of last year and helped formed Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS) in which he is the current deputy president.

And like APS president Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred M. Bumburing who is contesting in Tuaran and Tamparuli, Maijol will also contest under the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) banner.

The other two candidates for the Kota Marudu seat are Yuntau Kolod @ Kuntau Kolod representing Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and Majamis Timbong of STAR.

In the 2008 general election, Ongkili won the seat for the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition with the majority of 4,198 after polling 12,028 votes in a four-cornered battle, with his nearest rival coming from PKR’s Andonny Pilit @ Anthony Biri Mandiau with 7,830 votes.

In the Tenom parliamentary seat, it will be five-cornered fight with Umno’s incumbent Datuk Raime Unggi leading the fray.

Raime, who won with 6,883 majority votes in the last general election, will face Jaineh Juaya @ Jimmy Jawatah of SAPP, Hasmin @ Azroy Abdullah of STAR, Masdin Tumas of PKR and Mutan @ Sylvester Dawat of KITA.

For the Sipitang parliamentary seat, three candidates will be contesting including Datuk Sapawi Ahmad of Umno, who will be defending the seat. Kamis Daming of SAPP and Ramle Dua @ Ramli Dua Lee of PKR will be challenging the incumbent.

Sapawi polled 11,905 votes to win by 6,146 majority in a staight fight against Karim @ Abdul Kassim Tassim of PKR who received 5,759 votes in the last general election.