Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (left) presenting a cheque to renovate a church to Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman at a gathering with Bongawan residents yesterday. – Bernama photo
KOTA KINABALU: Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman is expected to defend the Kimanis parliamentary seat against former Sabah Barisan Nasional secretary Datuk Karim Bujang.
Anifah, who is Kimanis Umno Division chief, is confident that the people in the Kimanis parliamentary constituency will continue to support the Barisan Nasional (BN) in the 14th General Election (GE14) on May 9.
He said the electorate of Kimanis, which also comprised Bongawan and Membakut state seats, were courteous and appreciative of all the development efforts brought by the government there.
He said the existence of candidates from opposition parties in the state would not affect the loyalty and support of the people in Kimanis to BN.
“Whoever is the opposition candidate (in GE14)… we are not worried…a fight is a fight. I am confi dent the people in Kimanis will continue to support BN,” he said at a gathering with Bongawan residents, which was officiated by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also BN Deputy President here yesterday.
Also present were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin; incumbent for the Bongawan state seat Datuk Mohamad Alamin and Membakut state seat incumbent Datuk Mohd Arifi n Arif.
Anifah said the party machinery would also support any BN candidate chosen to represent the Parliamentary seat and two state seats in Kimanis in the GE14 to ensure a BN victory.
Meanwhile Anifah also thanked the government for developing the Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal (SOGT) in Kimanis and the Pan Borneo Highway which would defi nitely benefi t the people in the constituency.
However, he said much more development was needed by the Kimanis residents, including roads, clean water and electricity.
As such, he said the people in Kimanis should fully support the BN in GE14 to enable their aspirations to see more development in the constituency materialised.
Karim, who is a former Bongawan assemblyman, has joined Parti Warisan Sabah led by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafi e Apdal.
He, however, could not confirm his candidacy yet and asked to wait for the nomination day on April 28.
Karim has been keeping a low profi le after he was dropped from the Barisan Nasional candidates line-up in 2013.
He won the Bongawan state seat under Usno in 1990 and retained it until he was dropped in 2013.
Karim served as a state assistant minister in various capacities between 1994 and 2008.