WARISAN president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal today said his party and Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) were exploring a political cooperation, though nothing has been made official.
The Semporna MP noted the participation of state Umno leaders in several of his party’s gatherings since they broke away from the ruling bloc. He said these were signs some kind of a cooperation was underway.
“There has been the participation of Umno members in our events in some districts recently. This shows there are steps towards that direction (electoral pact),” the Sabah opposition leader told reporters after officiating Warisan’s annual general meeting in Kota Kinabalu today.
Talks were rife that the two parties might join forces to face the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), in state polls due in 2025.
But both sides had been noncommittal to the idea, although both admitted their ties were improving and efforts were being accepted positively by members.
The presence of several Sabah Umno leaders, including its chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, at the Warisan meeting today further strengthened the notion the two sides were exploring this possibility.
Bung Moktar, who is also Sabah BN chairman, when approached by reporters however appeared evasive, but admitted cooperation is vital.
“Speculations will always be there, so don’t worry about that … I am here as I was invited by the president (Shafie) himself,” he said.
“I think there is nothing wrong with that since Warisan is also part of the federal government.
“There is nothing official yet (between us and Warisan) but cooperation is important,” he said.
Warisan has been watching from the sidelines for months now as Sabah Umno split from GRS.
In the aftermath of the 2022 general election, which saw parliamentary elections in Sabah, Bung hit out at GRS for breaking a pre-election deal to back BN.
GRS had declared support for Perikatan Nasional (PN) during the federal stalemate over the formation of a new government.
GRS leader and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor, who was then Sabah Bersatu chief, said the deal was off since BN lost the election.
But on November 25 last year, GRS expressed support for Pakatan Harapan leader and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, giving his unity government a two-thirds majority in parliament.
Earlier this year, three Sabah Umno lawmakers – Datuk James Ratib (Sugut), Datuk Mohd Arsad Bistari (Tempasuk) and Datuk Jasnih Daya (Pantai Dalit) – declared support for GRS after clashing with Bung Moktar during a political crisis in January.
‘Sabah Umno not in disarray’
Bung Moktar rubbished talk that Sabah Umno was in disarray with two warring factions within the state chapter.
He said Sabah Umno remained part of the GRS government and a couple of its leaders are members of the state cabinet.
“Rumours are always rumours,” he said while commenting on strong speculations of cooperation with Warisan.
The Kinabatangan MP also said he had not discussed anything with GRS and was not part of the reconciliation committee formed by Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to initiate a “peace process” with GRS in March.
The committee was formed following Sabah Umno’s withdrawal of support for Hajiji in January, leaving him with a slim majority.
The three Umno members defied Bung Moktar’s decision to abandon GRS, but were still in Umno despite going against the party’s wishes.
Two other Sabah Umno assemblymen also disobeyed Bung Moktar. They were Datuk Shahelmey Yahya (Tanjung Keramat) and Datuk Yusof Yacob (Sindumin).
These dissidents were either supportive of GRS or had been appointed members of the Sabah cabinet. – The Vibes, December 14, 2023.
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