THE aftermath of the Mahkota by-election has revealed that Sabah leaders in both Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) could not escape the spat of its peninsula counterparts.
While many Sabah political figures have long argued that Sabah politics are distinct and somewhat difficult to navigate, it was clear local leaders in these super groups were indifferent when it came to attacks among colleagues.
The source of friction may have stemmed following the halal certification controversy, but it was the by-election last month that caused the matter to hit boiling point.
It came at a time when BN is seeking a tie-up with PH in Sabah to go into the state elections next year.
It all started when DAP’s Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin took issue with BN’s Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin’s repeated calls for BN-PH cooperation in Sabah.
“The cooperation formula between BN and PH under the Unity Government will only succeed if internal harmony is maintained and mutual respect is given,” Chan said in a Facebook post.
“Greater success depends on solid cooperation, not on individuals with sharp tongues acting like heroes,” he added.
Although Chan did not explicitly name Bung, his remarks were a direct response to Bung’s push for extending the BN-PH partnership into Sabah.
Bung had used Umno’s resounding victory in Johor’s by-election to reinforce his call for a tie-up.
Chan also criticised Bung for not reigning in Umno Youth leaders, citing the derogatory remark by Umno Youth leader Datuk Dr Akmal Salleh, who referred to DAP’s Teresa Kok as “Nyonya Tua” amid a recent halal certification controversy.
Bung’s aide, Abdul Azis Julkarnain, quickly came to his defence, advising Chan to avoid importing Peninsula-style politics into Sabah.
Meanwhile, Sabah PKR also weighed in on the growing friction, with its deputy information chief Razeef Rakimin pushing back against Umno Supreme Council member Nur Jazlan Mohamed’s call for PH to apologise for past political attacks.
“Don’t be arrogant about Mahkota. PH’s efforts were crucial in ensuring voter turnout and support for the Unity Government,” Razeef said, defending PH’s role in the coalition’s overall success.
Despite Bung’s ongoing efforts to forge a BN-PH partnership ahead of the Sabah state election, the situation remains complicated.
PH leaders in Sabah have largely stayed quiet on the matter.
Sabah PH chairman Datuk Christina Liew has acknowledged that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, also PH president, has instructed the coalition to cooperate within the Unity Government framework.
The Unity Government primarily consists of BN and PH at the national level, but the state governments also include other key players such as Warisan, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, and Gabungan Parti Sarawak.
However, Sabah PH already has a history of diverging from national political strategies when it deems necessary.
This was demonstrated during the political crisis in January 2023 when Sabah PH backed Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, despite BN and Warisan seeking his ouster.
PH’s support ultimately kept Hajiji in power, despite previously aligning with Warisan in the Sabah opposition group. – October 4, 2024
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