Bung to still lead Sabah Barisan Nasional
Published on: Thursday, April 04, 2024
By: Larry Ralon
Bung considered GRS, which co-operated with Sabah BN in the 16th State Election until January last year as lacking integrity and reneging on the agreement they had. - FMT pic
Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) Chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said Sabah BN is unlikely to cooperate with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) in the 17th State Election (PRN17), but will consider Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH).
He considered GRS, which co-operated with Sabah BN in the 16th State Election until January last year as lacking integrity and reneging on the agreement they had.
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Except for PBRS (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah), the rest of Sabah BN comprises MIC and MCA which are headquartered in the peninsula, including Umno, which Bung heads in Sabah. GRS comprises GPRS, PBS, Star, SAPP, LDP and Usno all of which are Sabah-based.
On the possibility of Sabah BN cooperating with Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH), Bung who is Sabah Umno Liaisons Chairman, said they would consider it.
“We will think, we will weigh. Sabah Umno will consider working with any party that has sincerity and can give strength to Umno,” he said. The GRS-PH Plus administration presently governs Sabah.
Despite of rumours of Sabah Umno being ridden with factions, Bung, who is also Lamag Assemblyman, said he would lead Sabah BN to face PRN17.
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“I don’t think the commander-in-chief (of Sabah BN) can step down,” he said at a breaking of fast with the media and asnaf (underprivileged) at Promenade, Tuesday.
Bung, who was Deputy Chief Minister until his forced exit due to the failed coup attempt in January last year, also said Sabah BN would make a new offer to the people of Sabah in PRN17 that can be fulfilled, unlike those of other parties that seem to have not been fulfilled.
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He said Sabah Umno, which aims to contest 23 seats, would feature some new faces while existing assemblymen who lacked sincerity and loyalty to the party would be dropped.
“There are (new faces). We are still screening and asking them to go to the ground to meet as many voters as possible.
“We are looking for a candidate who the people like, winnable, has integrity, will not hop party and is not materialistic.
“There is no guarantee that the candidate will not jump but we will tie him/her tightly. We will wash his/her soul.
No need to sign a statutory declaration (SD), because later it will be like Dr Yusof Yacob who swore but did not come out to defend Warisan and did not honour his oath.
“We want the Umno hardcore, who fight life and death for the party. If no sincerity and not loyal to the party, I am not going to put them as a candidate anymore.”
Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Ir. Shahelmey Yahya, who is also Tanjung Keramat Assemblyman, is one of the four Umno assemblymen who acted against the party’s decision to withdraw support for Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor during the attempted coup in January last year.
Because of that Shahelmey faced disciplinary action in the form of six years’ suspension while three other Umno assemblymen – Datuk James Ratib (Sugut), Datuk Mohd Arsad Bistari (Tempasuk) and Datuk Jasnih Daya (Pantai Dalit) – who were also subject to disciplinary action left Umno to join Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (PGRS or Gagasan Rakyat) led by Hajiji.
Shahelmey, who is also Putatan Member of Parliament, is bound by the Anti-Party Hopping Act which has been enforced at the Federal level since October 2022.
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