KOTA KINABALU – Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) cannot be tricked twice by the “snake” Bersatu, said Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi amid talks to “reclaim” Sabah.
The party leader, who is on a two-day working visit to Sabah, did not mince his words, saying that the only way for the alliance to recapture Sabah is to “kill the snake.”
Zahid said this being fully aware of the cooperation between Sabah Umno and Bersatu in the state’s ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) alliance.
He said the cooperation forged between Bersatu and BN was forgotten, and that Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had betrayed the gentleman’s agreement during the Sabah election in September 2020.
“Umno and Barisan Nasional had given him (Muhyiddin) support. But what has happened? He is trying to kill Umno and BN, killing us softly.
“We had supported him. But his political manipulation and tricks were evident as he promised Umno the chief minister position. But another name was put forth as a candidate even before the nomination day.
“Despite this, Sabah Umno won 14 seats in the state election.
“For this, I have advised myself, Sabah Umno chief Datuk Bung Moktar Radin and PBRS not to be fooled again if we want to recapture Sabah.
“We cannot allow the same snake to bite us at the same spot again. We must kill the snake first, so it can no longer bite us.
“How do we kill the snake? Only BN can kill the snake,” he said at the opening of the tri-annual Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) convention here today.
Also present at the convention were Sabah BN chief Bung Moktar, and PBRS president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup and his deputy Datuk Arthur Kurup.
Zahid also spoke of the exodus of Sabah Umno leaders to Bersatu after the 2018 general election and how the latter party also fielded several leaders as independent candidates during the 2020 state polls.
He then assured that PBRS will be well rewarded if they continue to support BN and Umno in the state after Joseph sought a better role in the government.
Joseph had requested for the party a senator post, an appointed assemblyman in the current Sabah assembly, and other political positions.
He added that PBRS did not receive any political appointments despite being in the GRS alliance while a PAS member was appointed an assemblyman.
Of the 73 elected reps in the state assembly, Umno has 14, followed by Bersatu (11), PBS (seven) and Sabah Star (six).
Meanwhile, the opposition bloc’s Warisan has 23 seats while DAP holds six, PKR two and Upko one. – The Vibes, February 12, 2022
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