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Free Malaysia Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Sabah Umno at historic low after ‘Kinabalu Move', says analyst
Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin and fellow Umno leaders at the press conference in January 2023 where the party announced its withdrawal of support for chief minister Hajiji Noor. PETALING JAYA : Sabah Umno may be at its weakest position yet heading into the upcoming state election, following public disagreements between its top two leaders, Bung Moktar Radin and Abdul Rahman Dahlan, according to an analyst. Rahman, who is Sabah Umno deputy chief, had suggested that Barisan Nasional (BN) made a mistake by pulling out of the state government in the 2023 'Kinabalu Move'. Bilcher Bala of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) said Rahman's remarks were likely prompted by a realisation of the party's weak grassroots machinery and organisational structure. 'This highlights how quitting a government without a clear recovery plan can have long-term consequences on voter perception and the party's ability to compete effectively. Bilcher Bala. 'Rahman's view may also reflect growing awareness of Sabah's increasingly complex political landscape, where local parties like Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Warisan are becoming more dominant, while Umno is seen as carrying 'federal baggage'. 'Sabah Umno is now in the weakest position in its history,' he told FMT. It was reported previously that Bung, the Sabah Umno chief, had advised Rahman to stop dwelling on the past following the latter's comments on the Kinabalu Move. He also maintained that the withdrawal of support for chief minister Hajiji Noor in January 2023 was not his personal call, but a collective decision by the state Umno leadership that was not taken lightly. However, Bilcher said the weakness Sabah Umno is facing does not spell the end for BN's ambitions to contest and win as many of the 73 Sabah assembly seats as possible, provided it can craft a new narrative that resonates with the voters. 'Despite the disagreements, both leaders still operate within the party's formal leadership structure, and Bung himself has said such differences are normal in any party. 'If Umno can unite its grassroots machinery, forge strategic alliances with other parties, and offer a relevant manifesto, there's still a chance for an upset. But it won't be easy,' he said. Bung and Rahman have clashed on several occasions over the past few years, including last year after Rahman invited Hajiji to a divisional meeting also attended by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. In March, they traded barbs again over where Rahman may be fielded as a candidate in the state election. But Bung has played this down to mere 'differences in opinion' which he said was a normal process in bolstering the state chapter and had not led to outright division. Lee Kuok Tiung. Another UMS academic, Lee Kuok Tiung, said being in government is a clear advantage, which is why Pakatan Harapan (PH) agreed to join the Sabah administration after the Kinabalu Move. He noted that some Umno assemblymen joined GRS, while others, led by Bung, remained in the opposition. 'Looking at the 14 seats BN won in the 16th state election (in 2020), it's clear there's been a split,' he said. Awang Azman Awang Pawi. However, Awang Azman Awang Pawi of Universiti Malaya said there is still hope for Sabah Umno despite its fragile current state as it continues to have a strong grassroots base. 'Rahman himself acknowledged that Umno's grassroots machinery remains strong despite the difficult situation. 'This is a crucial foundation for mobilising during the campaign period, though more efforts must be made to strengthen the party's machinery,' he said.
Malay Mail
7 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
‘We are not prisoners of the past': Bung Moktar says Sabah Umno focused on future ahead of state polls, not 2022 drama
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
CNA
15-07-2025
- Politics
- CNA
Sabah election: Has political instability derailed development?
Sabah is expected to hold its state election this year, but which parties can finally solve its perennial problems? The election is the first in a series of noteworthy state polls - next up are Melaka, Johor and Sarawak - between now and 2028, by when Malaysia's 16th General Election (GE16) must be held.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Don't need a middleman': PH can work with GRS if they want, but Sabah BN wont, says Bung Moktar
KOTA KINABALU, June 24 — Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin has rejected the idea of negotiating with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) through intermediaries, insisting he does not need a middleman to decide whether to work with other political parties ahead of the state election. The Lamag assemblyman reiterated his position that cooperation with the incumbent GRS was 'impossible' unless they 'cleanse their souls' first. 'They can work with GRS. And we can work with Pakatan Harapan (PH), but between me and GRS, let that remain between us. I don't need a middleman,' Bung said when speaking to reporters after a women's empowerment programme organised by Majlis Amanah Rakyat here today, He was responding to a question about the Unity Government Secretariat's call for the three coalitions in the federal administration — Barisan Nasional (BN), PH, and GRS — to cooperate ahead of the state elections. Bung said there had been no meetings between BN and GRS, nor any one-on-one discussions between him and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. 'If we want to talk, we talk directly. But as of now — no meetings, no discussions. And frankly, there's no need,' he said. Bung said his stance stemmed from what he claimed were past betrayals and a lack of sincerity by the coalition led by Hajiji. 'It's not that I refuse (to work with GRS). If they change into a party that is sincere and honest, I might consider it. But if they don't change, it's impossible. 'We agree in the morning, but by afternoon you change it, and then you take what's been given to us — how is that sincere? Sincerity means sticking to your word. That is how you win over the people,' he said. Bung also took a jab at GRS leaders for shedding 'crocodile tears', saying he no longer trusted their word. He was ostensibly referring to a recent unverified video of Hajiji, circulated online, which showed him in tears during one of his party's conventions while claiming it was his last term as chief minister. In contrast, Bung said BN had a cordial relationship with Pakatan Harapan (PH), and although negotiations were still ongoing, election clashes were unlikely. 'We are working with PH. Negotiations are okay, just that some finer details still need to be worked out,' he said. When asked if seat negotiations had begun, Bung said BN would contest in constituencies it believed it could win. 'I haven't decided how many, but if I can win 40, I'll contest 40,' he said.
Malay Mail
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Ruling out poll pact with GRS, Sabah BN sets sights on 32 seats in high-stakes election
KOTA KINABALU, July 3— Sabah Umno is prepared to contest and win at least 32 seats in the upcoming state election, with the larger goal still at 40 seats, said chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin. He declared that the party is ready to go up against former ally Gabungan Rakyat Sabah(GRS). The Lamag assemblyman reiterated that there will be no negotiation with GRS, as they were prepared to contest head-to-head or in multiple-cornered fights in as many as 25 seats against the eight-party coalition led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. 'We've been conducting dry runs in many of our constituencies. Our machinery is strong, and we're ready for straight or multi-cornered fights,' he told Malay Mail, adding that the seats are mainly in rural and semi-urban areas BN contested in 2020. 'I expect many six- or seven-way contests. It's okay — everyone believes they can win. I have confidence in our ground game. This is the best way to settle it.' BN's component party, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), is expected to contest in Keningau and other interior seats with large non-Muslim Bumiputera populations, while PH is seen as stronger in urban and Chinese-majority areas. 'Yes, we've had discussions with Pakatan Harapan (PH). They're going well. They're good partners and we don't see any major issues. They'll do well in the urban seats,' Bung said. This approach runs counter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's desire for a three-way cooperation between PH, BN, and GRS — an extension of the Federal unity government model to Sabah. At the Federal level, PH and BN govern together with GRS's support. But in Sabah, ties between Umno and GRS have collapsed following a power struggle in January 2023. Umno and GRS were allies during the 2020 state election and formed the government with a slim majority. But tensions simmered beneath the surface from day one. Bung, who was deputy chief minister, accused GRS of betraying agreed seat allocations, planting candidates in BN areas, and marginalising Umno within the state administration. 'My experience with them — we were cheated repeatedly. We negotiated and agreed on seats and positions, but they still planted their own candidates and sabotaged us,' he said. He claimed that as state Works Minister in Hajiji's Cabinet, his proposals and budget allocations were blocked while GRS-linked ministries continued unimpeded. 'That's why I don't want to go through that again. The trust is completely gone.' The tension came to a head with the 'Kinabalu Move' in January 2023, when Umno withdrew support for Hajiji in an attempt to topple the GRS government. However, five of its assemblymen refused to comply and backed GRS, allowing Hajiji to retain power with PH's support. Bung was sacked from the state Cabinet and replaced by Datuk Shahelmey Yahya, one of the 'rebels' — now Deputy Chief Minister. Any future cooperation, Bung said, would only happen after the polls — if at all. 'Let the voters decide. Then, if necessary, we can talk again.' Inter-coalition clashes are nothing new in Sabah. The 2020 state election saw at least 17 overlapping contests between BN and GRS-linked parties. In that election, BN won 14 of the 32 seats it contested, while Bersatu (then part of Perikatan Nasional) won 11. BN and PN formed the GRS state government.
