KOTA KINABALU: United Pasok Momogun KadazanDusun Murut Organization (UPKO) vice president, Datuk Siringan Gubat, said he will contest in the coming party’s election if he receives enough nomination to qualify for the race.
The Paginatan assemblyman however stressed that he is not interested to contest for the top two posts in UPKO although the deputy president’s post is vacant now following the departure of Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Bumburing last year.
Siringan said this when asked by reporters if he will be contesting in the party’s election which is scheduled to be held in October this year.
“I have never contested in the party’s election as I am an appointed vice president. However, if I get enough nominations, I would but I will not accept nominations for the top two posts,” he said.
According to the Resource Development and Information Technology Minister, the posts in UPKO are ‘free for all’ and open for contest.
“Even UPKO president, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, has said that his post as well as that of the deputy president post can be contested. Now we do not have a deputy president so anyone is free to contest for the post,” he said, when met after a press conference on the 5th Festival Filem Digital organized by the state Education Department.
On the proposal by fellow UPKO treasurer general, Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh, that the president’s post be left uncontested, Siringan said that he respects the opinions of others as they have the welfare of the party at heart.
“It is also to ensure the stability of the party. My stand is that we leave it to the delegates,” he stressed.