KOTA KINABALU: A Former judge, a singer and a former chief minister (or two or three) are touted as candidates for the Sabah election on Sept 26.
More names will surface as election fever gains momentum.
Parties are ironing out issues, particularly identifying candidates, before revealing them to their allies.
The days leading up to nomination day on Sept 12 will see a hive of activity.
Candidates have been touted on social media.
This is all happening during the Covid-19 pandemic and the Recovery Movement Control Order, which have put a damper on gatherings and ensured gatherings take place behind closed doors.
No party will probably contest all 73 seats, so each will collaborate with others.
Parties will hold events to stamp their presence in the state.
Yesterday marked the National Day celebration.
It was also the day Sabah gained independence from the British in 1963.
Malaysia Day on Sept 16 will happen during campaigning.
For now, the race is taking place behind closed doors as hopefuls wait for their name to be called.
The events that led to the snap polls being called by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal on July 30 has filtered the choice of candidates.
Being winnable also helps.
After the 2018 General Election, Sabah Barisan Nasional formed the government under Umno's Tan Sri Musa Aman with help from Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan's Sabah Star.
Shafie took over the state government after his party, Warisan, and its allies in Pakatan Harapan formed an alliance with Upko, which had left Sabah BN.
Recently, 33 elected and nominated representatives turned against the Warisan-PH-Upko pact. That led to the snap polls.
After what has happened, loyalty is a strong criterion to be considered for nomination. Sabah Umno's Putatan member Shahelmey Yahya agrees.
Touted as a candidate for Tanjung Keramat, one of the 13 new seats, Shahelmey said the party's engine room was ready for action, but he did not confirm his selection.
"I am a party man, always have been and always will be.
"If I am selected, then, God willing, I will do my best," said the engineer, who was twice considered as a candidate for the Petagas seat in 2013 and 2018.
"I think people know I am loyal and I have served the party, despite not being selected as a candidate," said the former chief executive officer of the Pan-Borneo Highway project in Sabah.
Upko information chief Albert Bingkasan said the new seats would change the demographics of certain constituencies.
Bingkasan is rumoured to be a candidate for Inanam.
Shahelmey and Bingkasan agree that new faces would likely be fielded in most areas.