KDM deputy president Wetrom Bahanda denies making way for his sister, Redonah, who has been elected by GRS to contest the Bandau seat.
PETALING JAYA: Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) deputy president Wetrom Bahanda says his decision to not defend the Bandau seat had nothing to do with his sister, Redonah.
Redonah was named by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) as its candidate for the Bandau seat, which Wetrom won in the 2020 state election in a six-cornered fight. KDM is fielding Jaiping Minsu to defend the seat in the Nov 29 state polls.
Wetrom said his decision to contest the Matunggong state seat was motivated by his long-standing desire to serve that constituency, Sinar Harian reported.
“So this time, when the opportunity arose for me to contest, I returned to Matunggong.
“There is no issue of giving way to my sister or anything else; I want to go back to Matunggong, and the people have asked me to return and serve there,” Wetrom told reporters after KDM’s candidate announcement and manifesto launch event today.
Before the 2018 general election, Wetrom, who was then Kota Marudu Umno chief, was reported to be eyeing the Matunggong seat. However, the seat was contested by a candidate from Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), which was then a Barisan Nasional component party.
PBS candidate Julita Mojungki won the Matunggong seat in the 2018 polls with a majority of 1,687 votes. She defended the seat in the 2020 state election, securing a 1,510-vote majority in an eight-cornered contest.
Meanwhile, KDM acting president Priscella Peter acknowledged that much of the support she received today came from those who had supported her father, Peter Anthony, who founded the party.
“Honestly, I am new to politics, but regarding supporters, I cannot deny that many of them come from my father, who has been a very successful representative in Tenom and Melalap.
“So I accept that the majority of supporters still back me because of what happened to our president, to my father.
“However, after all the efforts I have made over the past few months, I feel that the people of Melalap and Tenom want a change, especially since I am a newcomer, representing the youth and becoming a symbol and icon for the younger generation today,” she said.
Priscella will be defending the Melalap seat, previously held by her father, before he was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for forgery.
