In government with Bersatu, Sabah Umno adopts wait-and-see approach

KOTA KINABALU – Sabah Umno will continue to adopt a wait-and-see approach ahead of the central leadership’s decision on whether to sever ties with Bersatu at the end of the month.

Sabah Umno communications director Ghazalie Ansing told The Vibes that there is nothing much the state chapter can do at present, as a clear decision will only be seen at the Umno general assembly on January 31.

“It is just wait-and-see for now. Our priorities are to defend our cooperation with the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS),” he said.

His statement echoes that of Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin who has defended ties with GRS, which includes Sabah Bersatu and other components Sabah Star and PBRS.

Yesterday, the Umno supreme council decided in Kuala Lumpur to consider the proposal by a majority of Umno’s divisions to end the party’s cooperation with Bersatu and in the 15th general election (GE15).

The council also proposed to focus its cooperation with Islamist party PAS in Muafakat Nasional and called for an early GE15, and these will also be decided on definitively when Umno leaders and the rank-and-file convene at their general assembly on January 31.

Umno’s hard stance came after the party felt it was denied key positions in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) federal cabinet by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is Bersatu president.

An Umno falling out with Sabah Bersatu will have a great impact on the state, possibly causing the collapse of the four-month-old GRS government in which Barisan Nasional (BN) holds 14 seats against Sabah Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) 17 seats.

Bung, who is also the Lamag assemblyman and Sabah BN chairman, recently admitted that any Umno plan to abandon PN would have a ripple effect in the state.

A source from Sabah Umno however claimed that having a general election is not the real issue, even amid concerns of the Covid-19 spreading. 

The issue is to end the country’s unending political see-saw since the 14th general election in 2018, that has seen state government changes and the federal government’s collapse he said.

“Look at Singapore, they just had its election (during the pandemic) and so has the United States. We can also hold an election,” said the Umno source. – The Vibes, January 7, 2021