USUKAN state assemblyman Salleh Tun Said has been announced as the BN/Umno candidate for the upcoming 17th State Election.

The announcement was made by Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Bung Moktar Radin, during his speech when launching the Gerak 17 Umno Sabah program for the Usukan constituency on Sunday morning.

So far, Salleh, who is also Umno Sabah’s treasurer, is the second candidate announced as an Umno/BN candidate for the upcoming state election.

Earlier, Putatan Umno division chief Jeffery Nor Mohamed, was named as the BN/Umno candidate for the Tanjung Keramat constituency.

According to Bung Moktar, who is also the Umno Sabah chief, Salleh’s meets the necessary criteria and aligns with the aspirations of the Usukan constituents, who wish for him to continue serving.

“He (Salleh) has made significant contributions to the party and the people, particularly in this area. His selection not only fulfills the required criteria but also represents the choice of the people in the constituency,” he said.

Bung Moktar added that Usukan holds historical significance as it was the first constituency in Sabah to introduce Umno through a by-election on May 11, 1991, when the late Tun Mustapha Datu Harun won the seat.

He stressed that as the birthplace of Umno in Sabah, the people of Usukan must rise to restore that momentum, ensuring not only the retention of Usukan but also reclaiming the dignity of Tempasuk, a seat also previously held by Umno.

Bung Moktar called on the people, especially Umno members in Usukan, to unite, work as a team, and ensure all strategies and efforts lead to a BN victory in the upcoming state election with the aim to take over from the present government.