KOTA KINABALU – With the dust barely settled in the Sabah elections, Umno could prove to be the kingmaker yet again, as federal political developments could have a bearing on Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS)’s grip on its state government.
This could explain Umno giving in to Bersatu yet again in allowing the latter’s state chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor to become chief minister.
This is despite Umno having won 14 seats over Bersatu’s 11.
Earlier Umno president Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi had lamented that his party had also given way to Bersatu for the prime minister and Perak mentri besar posts despite having more MPs and state assemblymen.
Sources say Umno is now watching closely what PKR president and opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is going to do next following his revelation on September 22 that he has the numbers to take over the federal government.
Anwar it is believed has at least 15 Umno MPs behind him including his old friend from his Umno Youth days, Zahid.
Meanwhile, a Warisan supreme council member said the party will see how things pan out in federal and state politics before making its next move.
PKR after all is part of Warisan Plus and had won two of the seven seats it contested in Sabah.
“However, the Sabah election results seems to show that Umno still holds sway and could perform well in a general election compared to other Malay parties,” said a source.
Earlier it was reported that Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal could be conceding defeat and moving out of the official chief minister’s residence having failed to entice Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) assemblymen to switch camps from GRS.
"(For) the time being, wait till the new government forms its cabinet and what will happen to the federal government," he told The Vibes
Warisan Plus has 32 seats against GRS’ 41 in the state assembly.
Meanwhile it seems that PBS and Homeland Solidarity Party (STAR) have yet to bury the hatchet. Although both parties withdrew their candidates in seats where they both clashed, it seems that there is still bad blood between the two, with PBS leader Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili accused of “bullying” STAR which is led by Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
Despite a truce brokered by Perikatan Nasional (PN) secretary-general Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin, differences still exist between STAR and PBS.
STAR is said to have federal support over PBS because the former is backed by Bersatu whose leader, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, is the present prime minister.
PBS has seven seats and STAR six. This means if either party pulls out of GRS, Warisan Plus will command the majority of the state assembly. – The Vibes, September 28. 2020.
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