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‘We are not prisoners of the past': Bung Moktar says Sabah Umno focused on future ahead of state polls, not 2022 drama

‘We are not prisoners of the past': Bung Moktar says Sabah Umno focused on future ahead of state polls, not 2022 drama

Malay Mail18-07-2025
KOTA KINABALU, July 18 — Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin says the party is focused on moving forward, despite attempts to revive old political narratives ahead of the state election.
He said this in response to recent remarks by former minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan, who had touched on events that unfolded in 2022.
'As a senior leader in Umno and my long-time friend, Datuk Rahman has every right to express his personal views. In a party that believes in democracy, such openness is part of our political maturity,' Bung said in a statement.
He said the differences of opinion that arose between them back then were normal in politics.
'What matters is how we resolve them. Datuk Rahman knows that the decision taken at the time was not personal, but the result of a collective leadership consensus in Sabah Umno after careful consideration of all implications,' Bung added, stressing that the episode is now behind them.
'We respect the past, but we are not prisoners of it,' he said.
He also took a swipe at certain quarters in the media, accusing them of trying to spin the old issue for their own narrative.
'Let me be clear. Sabah Umno is united, focused and fully committed as one team heading into the coming state election (PRN17).
'We are ready with solid grassroots machinery, renewed energy and a clear agenda to restore dignity and deliver effective governance under a strong national leadership,' he said.
He added that in today's political landscape whether in Sabah, Malaysia, or globally the public values leaders who offer solutions, not those who remain stuck in the past.
'That is why Sabah Umno chooses to be part of the solution, part of the future,' he said. — The Borneo Post
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