KOTA KINABALU, Sept 12 -- Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) has described the clashes with its allies Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) in 17 seats in the Sabah state election as a “friendly contest”.

PBS deputy president Datuk Seri Radin Malleh said his party took this development in good faith and it would be carried out in a manner to strengthen the position of PN in Sabah.

"We take this as a friendly contest. What is important is that a PN component wins all seats,” he said in a statement today.

Radin, who is also the PBS election operation director, admitted that every effort had been made to avoid these clashes.

Radin himself is contesting in Melalap in a six-cornered fight with BN, Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS), United Sabah National Organisation (USNO), Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

Radin said the matter was brought up for discussion in various meetings on seat allocation in a bid to prevent parties from the same camp clashing with each other in the polls.

BN will cross swords with PN and PBS in 17 of the total 73 seats in the election, namely Bengkoka, Telupid, Lumadan, Matunggong, Tandek, Kadamaian, Kapayan, Karamunting, Melalap, Sook, Bingkor, Moyog, Tulid, Paginatan, Liawan, Tambunan and Tanjung Aru. 

Meanwhile, efforts to contact Sabah BN chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and Sabah Bersatu chief Datuk Hajiji Noor were to no avail.

-- BERNAMA