UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today denied that his visit to Sabah was to calm a political storm arising from speculation about Sabah Umno forming an alliance with Warisan.
The deputy prime minister said that his visit to the state was for official working purposes.
“However, I had a meeting with the state Umno leadership last night, along with other party leaders,” he said.
“It was to update on several political matters, especially on the arrangement of the (party) machinery structures following the conclusion of the federal election (November 2022) and the elections in six (peninsula) states (August 2023),” he told reporters at a press conference in Kota Belud today.
Zahid, in his capacity as the rural and regional development minister, attended the launch of the Kadamaian Development Plan in Kota Belud at the invitation of local assemblyman Datuk Ewon Benedick, who is also the federal entrepreneur development and cooperatives minister, and Upko president.
Zahid said he anticipated Sabah to be the next state to hold an election despite the assembly’s term expiring in 2025.
He added that Umno will only decide on political cooperation when the Sabah assembly is dissolved.
“So, there is nothing wrong with preparing (for the election) from now. So, I hope no quarters will come out with their own analysis and speculation that a crisis of politics is happening in Sabah,” he said.
Zahid, who is also Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, said politics is by nature pragmatic.
However, he pointed out that the party with the most number of seats will win to form the government.
In the same light, Zahid maintained that BN’s ties with Pakatan Harapan remained intact, while in jest expressing his sentiment that Upko could return to BN’s fold.
Upko was a component of BN until the 2018 general election. It had then left the coalition while forming the previous Sabah government led by Warisan.
“We are willing to work with any parties, big or small. But more importantly, there should be no slogan or movements like (references to) local or national parties,” said Zahid, referring to the issue of “big-tent” and “small-tent” parties.
“In our roles as elected representatives, we are responsible to work together for the economic development and prosperity of the people in Sabah,” he added.
A report on the possible Sabah Umno-Warisan tie-up went viral just as the Warisan annual general meeting was being held last year. A news portal had quoted Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal as confirming a tie-up with Sabah Umno.
Shafie, however, made it clear that his party had not initiated any cooperation with any other party, including Umno. He, however, maintained that there could be such a possibility if they share the same struggle.
On another development, Zahid said that Umno has amended its party constitution to give Sabah Umno its autonomy, including on choosing candidates and electing someone for chief minister, provided the BN chairman is informed about these. – The Vibes, January 8, 2023
