KOTA KINABALU: The recent report of seat swap discussions still on the table among the Kadazandusun Murut (KDM) component parties of Barisan Nasional (BN) has reignited interest on the Bingkor and Kadamaian state seats.
Previously, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and United PasokmomogunKadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) were negotiating on PBS giving its Kadamaian seat under Kota Belud constituency to Upko, in exchange for Upko’s Bingkor seat under the Keningau constituency.
Both seats were lost to the opposition in the previous election.
Talks were said to have died down but earlier this week, PBS deputy president Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili who is overseeing presidential duties, said it was still on the cards and they were expected to finalise the decision by this weekend.
Prior to that, both parties were already rumoured to be fielding new faces if the swap materialises.
For Upko, the person tipped to be fielded in Kadamaian is its Komulakan chief Ewon Benedick, 35, a Kota Belud local who has been with the party for 15 years since 2004.
While he might be a first timer, the former press secretary who served Tan Sri Bernard Dompok from 2008 to 2011 was the youngest division chief when appointed to lead Kota Belud Upko division in 2013, being 30 years old then.
In the government portfolio, Ewon is now serving as the State Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry’s political secretary.
Meanwhile, one of the names being bandied around a lot as PBS potential candidate in Bingkor is laywer Peter Alliun, who heads the PBS Bingkor division.
It was reported that both sides have been going to the ground actively since last year, to pave way for the possible switch.
While there were some objections from division members from both areas on the swap, a positive outcome is expected, according to a party source.
“Yes there is only a handful of them (who objected) so the respective top leaderships will handle these groups on their side … They are meeting or calling up the party divisions to explain the decision of both parties.”
Meanwhile, PBS secretary-general Datuk Johnny Mositun when contacted said since the seat swap negotiation commenced more than a year ago, both sides can be expected to have done their homework and groundwork.