SABAH Umno treasurer Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak has warned of “silent defectors” within the party — leaders who publicly reject Umno’s decisions while continuing to insist they remain loyal.
Salleh said the words and actions of such individuals reveal where their real loyalties lie.
“There are those who claim they have not jumped party but openly reject the party’s decisions. Their words and actions clearly show they are with the other side,” he wrote in a veiled reference to factional tension within Sabah Umno.
The Facebook post was made after Salleh attended the ‘Radu Tatap Radu’ programme organised by the Putatan Umno Division.
Salleh had stressed that Umno is not a seasonal party that only resurfaces during elections, but a consistent struggle that remains by the people’s side under any circumstances.
He said voters today are more politically mature and capable of distinguishing genuine leaders from those who merely hide behind the party’s name for personal conveniences or survival.
He did not name any individuals, but his comments could indicate an internal political friction within Sabah Umno over its electoral strategy ahead of the state election.
A key example is believed to be when one of its leaders publicly advocated for Sabah Umno to forge an electoral alliance with both Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and Pakatan Harapan, despite Sabah Umno’s feud with the former.
Sabah is expected to hold its election by the end of this year. – June 16, 2025
