KOTA KINABALU: Tuaran Warisan heavyweight Datuk Aliasgar Basri is anticipated to face off against the current GRS assemblyman Datuk Jasnih Daya in the Pantai Dalit state constituency in the upcoming state election.
According to reliable sources, the shift of Aliasgar, who was previously tipped to run again in Sulaman, to Pantai Dalit came is seen as a strategic manoeuvre to capture the seat from the ruling party.
In addition to the duo, other individuals mentioned as potential candidates in Pantai Dalit include Alfian Sambas from BN, Francis Fahir representing STAR, and Jaesman Gipin from PKDM.
Aliasgar, aged 65, holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from the College of Business and Administration at Southern Illinois University, as well as a Master of Business Administration from Universiti Malaysia Sabah.
When asked about the speculation, Aliasgar merely replied, ‘I am ready to contest in the DUN Sulaman. Support is growing, especially among new voters”.
‘If the leadership nominates me in DUN Pantai Dalit, my friends and I are prepared to take on the responsibility of winning the assigned seat.
‘In fact, even if the leadership does not nominate me as a candidate due to my heavier responsibilities as the Secretary of Warisan’s Organiser, I will accept that and continue to work towards Warisan’s victory,’ he said when contacted.
Pantai Dalit has a total of 26,730 registered voters, which includes 6,465 KDMR, 13,279 Bajau, 1,078 Chinese, and the remaining voters from other ethnic groups in Sabah.
In the state election of 2020, Jasnih secured the Pantai Dalit seat as a candidate for BN, achieving a majority of 3,794 votes.
