Latest news with #SabahUmno
Free Malaysia Today
15 hours ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
No alliance with GRS for state polls, says Sabah Umno
State chairman Bung Moktar Radin claimed that Sabah Umno had been betrayed by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah in the past. PETALING JAYA : Sabah Umno will not work with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah in the upcoming state election, but will only join forces after the outcome of the state polls, says Bung Moktar Radin. The Sabah Umno chief said it was tough for the state chapter to work with GRS in the election because it had been betrayed by the ruling state coalition in the past. 'We had a dark and bitter past with GRS. So Sabah Umno needs to be cautious in working with them again. We will evaluate just how sincere they are. 'Umno will only consider working (with GRS) after the state election,' he said, according to Berita Harian. Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan have already announced an alliance for the Sabah polls, which must be held by the end of the year. This prompted GRS to threaten to go solo. GRS and PH are currently allies in the Hajiji Noor state government while BN sits in the opposition in the Sabah legislative assembly. However, PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim had expressed confidence that PH, BN and GRS would be able to agree on an alliance for the state election. Last week, the prime minister said discussions among the three coalitions were ongoing. BN also said it had given Sabah Umno autonomy to discuss and decide on cooperation with other parties for the state election, despite the unity coalition secretariat previously saying 'all decisions will be finalised' by the federal leadership. Despite the negotiations, several Sabah BN and GRS leaders have traded barbs over the past few weeks, including Bung and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku president Jeffrey Kitingan.
Malay Mail
17 hours ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Bung Moktar: Sabah Umno won't work with GRS before election after ‘dark and bitter' experience
KOTA KINABALU, June 3 — Sabah Umno has reiterated its unwillingness to work with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) heading into the 17th state election, said Umno chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, citing previous broken promises. He, however, told the New Straits Times (NST) that cooperation with GRS after the election was possible. 'Sabah Umno is not refusing to work with GRS, but we have gone through a dark and bitter history with them. To consider working together again, we must be cautious and assess their sincerity. 'There's an old saying: don't get bitten by the same snake twice,' he was quoted as saying by NST. 'As for any post-election cooperation, Umno will evaluate the matter after the polls,' he said. Earlier, by Kota Kinabalu Umno chief Mosliati Muslimin had issued a statement saying there was no longer room for political cooperation with GRS or Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (PGRS) after several betrayals and broken promises. She said that betrayals started even during the 2020 state election where deliberate vote splitting tactic in the form of independent candidates were placed in constituencies where BN candidates were. At the time, BN and GRS — then still known as Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) before they moved en masse into GRS — were in an alliance. Mosliati said Bersatu was still in its infancy, and it was Umno's well-oiled machinery that had carried the new political alliance to victory. 'Despite being sabotaged from the start, Umno-BN won 14 seats — more than Bersatu's 11. By right, we had the claim to the Chief Minister post. But in consideration of national dynamics and political decorum, Umno stepped aside. We gave way to Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor — not out of weakness, but because we knew when to prioritise stability. 'Unfortunately, that sacrifice marked the beginning of broken promises,' she said. She said that Bung had been promised the Works Ministry portfolio but on the first day of the new government administration, they were blindsided by a change to the Local Government and Housing portfolio. Bung was eventually given what was promised after a confrontation, but Umno was also not pleased that GRS's Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun was handed two major portfolios: Local Government and Housing and Second Finance Minister, despite prior agreements stating that one of them would go to Umno-BN. 'In every meeting and encounter, Datuk Seri Hajiji repeatedly spoke of an 'upcoming reshuffle'. He said the Second Finance portfolio would be returned to Umno,' she said adding that promises continued up to the 15th general election. 'After that, not only were the promises unfulfilled but worse still, Usukan assemblyman Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak, who called for the promise to be fulfilled, was removed from his role as Chairman of Qhazanah Sabah,' she said. 'Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, though soft-spoken and measured, has remained submissive to the forces that placed him in power. He may not wield the dagger himself, but his silence enables others to strike,' she said. 'Umno-BN has been patient. We have given chances. We chose consensus over conflict. But patience is not a license for continued manipulation. Dignity is not something to be bargained with. And the principles of our struggle cannot be traded for empty promises,' she said.
New Straits Times
19 hours ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Sabah Umno will not work with GRS for upcoming state polls
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Umno will not cooperate with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) for the 17th state election, its chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said. He stressed that Sabah Umno will only consider any form of cooperation with GRS after the election. Bung Moktar claimed that the bitter experience of working with GRS in the past has made Sabah Umno more cautious in forming political alliances, especially with the Sabah-based coalition, in order to avoid being betrayed again. "Sabah Umno is not refusing to work with GRS, but we have gone through a dark and bitter history with them. "To consider working together again, we must be cautious and assess their sincerity. "There's an old saying: don't get bitten by the same snake twice. "As for any post-election cooperation, Umno will evaluate the matter after the polls," he said when contacted today. He was commenting on a statement by Kota Kinabalu Umno chief, Mosliati Muslimin, who said there was no longer room for political cooperation with GRS or Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat). Mosliati, who is also Wanita Umno exco member, had said that such a decision was made as Umno should not be treated as a mere accessory, to be used for political purposes and deceived by false promises from former allies. She also recalled how Umno's previous cooperation with GRS during the last state polls in September 2020 led to betrayal, despite the party's contribution to the coalition's victory and the formation of the state government. She had claimed that Bung Moktar was initially promised the Works Ministry portfolio in the state cabinet led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, but it was unilaterally changed to the Local Government and Housing Ministry without any valid explanation. Mosliati had said that the Works Ministry portfolio was only returned after pressure was exerted on Hajiji. Bung Moktar, who is also Sabah Barisan Nasional chairman, had on many occasions made clear his stand against renewing cooperation with GRS. He had earlier announced BN's cooperation with Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH), even before any formal decision was made by the top leadership of both coalitions. The collaboration was later formalised through a joint statement by leaders from both BN and PH at the federal level.
The Star
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Abang Jo's 'involvement' in UMS water woes a wake-up call for GRS, says Sabah Umno
KOTA KINABALU: The Sarawak Premier getting pulled into the water crisis at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) is an embarrassing reflection of the Sabah government's failure to address basic infrastructure issues, says Sabah Umno. Its strategic communications director Datu Rosman Datu Ahir Zaman said it was a 'tamparan besar' (major blow) to the credibility of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) administration even if Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg had only unofficially raised the issue with the Higher Education Ministry. ALSO READ: Abang Jo to raise UMS water supply issues with Higher Edu Ministry 'This issue clearly falls under the Sabah government. Yet it is the Sarawak Premier who is helping to voice out the concerns of Sabahans, including students from Sarawak,' Rosman said in a statement on Wednesday (May 28). Earlier, the Sarawak Premier's Office issued a statement confirming that Abang Johari would bring the matter to the attention of Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, despite the issue falling outside his jurisdiction. The move came after a viral open letter from Muhammad Rasul Rozmiezan, 21, a second-year sociology student at UMS from Kuching, who wrote to Abang Johari seeking help over the prolonged water supply problems. ALSO READ: Sarawak student appeals to Abang Jo over Sabah varsity's water woes Rosman said the situation was at the point where students at Sabah's premier university were struggling not to pursue academic excellence, but just to get clean water. He added that the state government's repeated statements and temporary responses failed to offer a strategic, long-term solution. 'What has the Sabah government done beyond issuing statements? The students are still suffering, and there's been no effective action,' he said. ALSO READ: UMS water supply issue to be resolved Rosman stressed that the water supply issue in Sabah is not new, and long-standing concerns have been left unresolved for years. 'The failure to ensure water access even for a key institution like UMS shows how little has been done to address the people's most basic needs,' he said. He added that the intervention by a leader from another state should serve as a wake-up call to the Sabah government. 'If Sabah leaders continue to fail their people, don't be surprised when leaders from other states step up to become the voice of Sabahans,' he said.
The Star
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Jeffrey Kitingan says he is willing to debate Bung on any issue
KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan says he is ready to accept Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin's challenge for a debate on any issue, including the 'Sabah for Sabahans' issue. Bung Moktar, who is also Sabah Barisan chairman, issued the challenge when launching Sabah Umno's Gerak17 campaign for the Sepanggar parliamentary constituency. Kitingan, who is Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) deputy chairman, also said the coalition is open to working with any party, but it will ultimately be the people who determine its political alliances. However, he said that the coalition of eight local parties has yet to decide on the matter. "We are willing to work with anyone for the sake of political stability but we have to listen to the people," he said when asked about the possibility of GRS teaming up with the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional alliance. "The elections are still some time away. For now, let's focus on what is currently on the table," he said. He added that GRS has begun preliminary meetings to discuss seat allocations.
