KOTA KINABALU, Nov. 11 -- Sabah Perikatan Nasional (PN) chief Datuk Ronald Kiandee will lead the coalition's 39 candidates in the upcoming state election.

PAS's first nominated assemblyman, Datuk Aliakbar Gulasan, will contest the Karambunai seat.

Kiandee, who is Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia's (PPBM) Sabah chief, will return to contest the Sugut seat for the first time since 1990, this time under the PN banner.

He last contested Sugut in 1990 under the now-defunct Angkatan Keadilan Rakyat (Akar), a splinter party from Parti Bersatu Sabah, but lost to the latter.

Kiandee has been Beluran MP for six terms since 1999, all under Umno until the last general election, when he contested as a PPBM member under the PN banner.

Aliakbar was a...