KOTA KINABALU – Sabah’s state elections are not until 2025, but Gagasan Rakyat is already making claims to two seats held by Umno, threatening the truce between the two rivals after a failed coup by Umno against the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government in January.
Sabah Umno election director Jeffrey Nor Mohamed today slammed remarks by Gagasan president and Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, who on Saturday, said that his coalition was eyeing the Lamag and Sukau state seats.
“We have never made any negative remarks about Gagasan Rakyat, not a single official statement criticising it. Our stance stems from our respect for the unity government.
“The statements made by certain Gagasan Rakyat leaders indicate that cooperation is proving to be challenging,” Jeffrey said at a press conference held in Semporna, today.
Jeffrey also said Sabah Umno was ready for any possibility of an early state election.
“Although it will be in two years, we have already made preparations, and we will not face any problems as we are very well structured,” he said.
Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin has meanwhile gone on a tirade on social media against Gagasan.
“Don’t talk so much. If you want to become an assemblyman so badly, let’s fight," Bung said in a recent social media post directed at the chief minister’s party.
Both Lamag and Sukau are state constituencies under the Kinabatangan parliamentary seat, of which Bung is the MP and also Lamag assemblyman.
Sabah Umno secretary Datuk Johari Ariffin is the incumbent for Sukau.
On Saturday at a Gagasan event, Hajiji identified Lamag and Sukau as “must-win” seats for his party, which is a component of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) alliance that governs Sabah.
At the same event, Gagasan Sukau division chief Datuk Juhari Janan said Umno and its Barisan Nasional coalition were on the verge of “closing shop”, and this would be proven if Umno performed badly in the August 12 state elections in the peninsula.
Hajiji’s comments are seen as incendiary by Sabah Umno, which is attempting a truce with GRS after an attempt by Bung to unseat the chief minister in January failed.
Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had called for the truce as GRS is part of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s federal unity government. – The Vibes, July 10, 2023
