BN Sabah backs Naim Kurniawan for Kinabatangan by-election

KOTA KINABATANGAN: Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) Sabah have welcomed the announcement of Mohd Naim Kurniawan Moktar as the coalition’s candidate for the upcoming Kinabatangan parliamentary by-election, describing the choice as one grounded in institutional legitimacy and grassroots support.

Sabah UMNO Liaison Committee chairman Datuk Jafry Ariffin said the selection reflected the party’s emphasis on leadership continuity based on organisational strength rather than lineage alone.

“From the perspective of political science, continuity of leadership is not merely about inheritance, but about organisational legitimacy, acceptance at the grassroots and the ability to carry the people’s mandate,” he said in a media statement today.

Jafry, who is also Tourism, Culture and Environment minister, said Naim Kurniawan met all three criteria, having been selected through party institutional processes and backed by the party’s grassroots machinery.

He added that the candidate represented continuity in struggle and service, noting that such continuity must be demonstrated through tangible contributions rather than symbolism.

According to Jafry, the Kinabatangan by-election should not be viewed as a test of an individual candidate, but as a broader measure of political stability, public confidence and BN’s capacity to continue its development agenda in what he described as a strategic and challenging constituency.

“The by-election is a test of institutional stability, the people’s trust and BN’s ability to maintain the development mandate in Kinabatangan,” he said.

Jafry stressed that UMNO Sabah would remain united and focused throughout the campaign, with the aim of ensuring that the interests and voices of the Kinabatangan community continue to be represented in a principled, credible and consistent manner.

The Kinabatangan parliamentary seat has long been regarded as a key BN stronghold in Sabah, with the outcome of the by-election expected to draw close attention from political observers at both state and national levels.