‘Peninsula pyrotechnics unlikely to affect Bersatu, Umno in Sabah’

KOTA KINABALU – Although ties between Umno and Bersatu are fraying in the peninsula, things may turn out differently for the alliance in Sabah, said insiders.

Sources close to the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) top leadership told The Vibes that Umno and Bersatu here appear to have an exit plan to keep their political cooperation intact.

A source said it is unlikely the state chiefs and heads of Sabah-based parties will break the GRS pact as they manoeuvre to remain aligned with Putrajaya.

“We might see Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin appear to be his usual controversial self. He might be seen to dominate others in the alliance, political appointments and what not. But behind closed doors, Bung is a mild and soft-spoken chief, unlike how he portrays himself in the news.

“I know he has already made up his mind to stick to the GRS alliance – no matter what happens in the peninsula.”

The ruling GRS comprises Bersatu, Sabah Star, SAPP in Perikatan Nasional (PN), and Barisan Nasional’s (BN) MCA, MIC, PBRS, and Umno, as well as GRS-friendly PBS. The coalition came to power after winning the September 26 state polls, unseating Warisan Plus.

On the surface, the GRS alliance is threatened by the fragile ties between Umno and Bersatu in the federal PN.

Umno has clearly indicated it will not cooperate with Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s Bersatu in the coming general election.

Bersatu leaders had a supreme council meeting yesterday to decide on Umno’s intentions.

Umno also said that it will stay with PN until Parliament is dissolved.

The exit plan

A source who was present in the GRS presidential meetings recently said that Usno had been brought in to be part of the alliance.

“The proposal was made by (Sabah Bersatu chief) Datuk Hajiji Noor himself – and he did not do it once, but a couple of times.”

Usno had just undergone a leadership change, with former Dewan Rakyat speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia made president.

The source said Usno may be used as the exit plan for Sabah Umno and Sabah Bersatu leaders to unite under a single party, in the event the cooperation in the peninsula collapses completely.

“This way neither, Bung, nor Hajiji, nor their followers will break the GRS pact.”

Among new developments involving Sabah Umno, the source said, is the return of Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak, who has been given several political appointments, including as GRS backbencher chief and as Sabah Umno election director.

It is known that Pandikar and Salleh Said have a good working relationship, and that both men hail from Kota Belud.

False predictions?

However, a Sabah Umno key leader told The Vibes that the possibility of Bung betraying Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is unlikely, and that Bung will have to make a decision when the time comes – which most probably means that he will stick with BN if things go south in the peninsula.

“Sabah politics have always been fluid and anything can happen,” said the Umno source, adding that the state chapter will heed to decisions made by the headquarters despite its autonomy in Sabah.

Coalition of Sabah-based parties?

Another source who is familiar with the exit plan said if the move becomes a reality, the GRS alliance will be a coalition of Sabah-based parties.

Usno was founded by former Sabah chief minister, the late Tun Mustapha Datu Harun – but the party was dissolved in the 1990s to make way for Umno in the state during PBS' rule.

The source said GRS will strengthen its grip on power if all member parties are Sabah-based, given the strong statehood sentiment among the people there.

He added that the state has always been governed by a Sabah party, until the entry of Umno and now Bersatu.

The last Sabah-based party to rule the state was Warisan.

“I'm sure the move will be welcomed by Sabahans.” – The Vibes, March 5, 2021