KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) will contest in the upcoming Sandakan by-election.
Its president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said the decision to field a candidate was decided by the party’s political bureau in a recent meeting.
At the moment, the party is currently screening a list of potential winnable candidates, he said.
“The party is still vetting the list and hopes to make an announcement (on the candidate) before nomination day.
"We have a number of potential candidates, and names are still being submitted by our members and grassroots in Sandakan,” he said.
The list, according to him, includes leaders within as well as outside the party.
"PBS is also willing to corporate with other like-minded opposition parties, whether national or local,” he said in a statement.
Expressing excitement, Ongkili appealed to Sandakan voters to back PBS and its candidate as their representative and voice in Parliament.
The last time PBS flew its own flag was in the 1999 general election. It subsequently rejoined Barisan Nasional (BN) in 2002.
PBS has since quit the former ruling coalition following its poor performance in the 14th general election (GE14) last year.
The Election Commission (EC) has set polling for May 11 with nomination day fixed on April 27 for Sandakan.
The by-election is being held following the death of the parliamentary seat's incumbent Sabah DAP chairman Datuk Stephen Wong on March 28.
In GE14, Wong defended the seat after obtaining 19,094 votes, defeating BN candidate Datuk Lim Ming Hoo, who garnered 8,996 votes.
Sandakan has 39,777 registered voters comprising 49 per cent Chinese, 44 per cent Muslim Bumiputra and six per cent non-Muslim Bumiputra.