Kota Kinabalu: Barisan Nasional (BN) Chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi dismissed claims of a secret pact between the coalition and Warisan, rejecting speculation of a so-called Kinabalu Move 2.0.
Zahid said he has never held discussions with Warisan President Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal regarding any form of cooperation.
“There is no secret pact. If there was, we wouldn’t be contesting in the same seats as Warisan and vice versa,” he said at a media engagement session, here, Saturday.
However, the Deputy Prime Minister did not rule out the possibility of post-election negotiations to form the next state government.
“As I have said before, no single party or coalition will be dominant enough to form the state government after the election.
“That is why collaboration must be seen as part of Sabah’s political dynamics,” he added.
A Daily Express report earlier quoted Parti StarSabah Kepayan Division Chairman Bernard A. Logijin as claiming that BN and Warisan would once again work together to form a new state government.
The speculation followed BN’s decision not to field a candidate against Warisan in Semporna for the Nov 19 state election.
The original Kinabalu Move involving both parties previously failed to unseat the GRS-PH government led by caretaker Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
Zahid, also Umno President, said the issue involving the Sipitang Umno Division’s reluctance to work with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) in the Sindumin state seat had been resolved.
“This is because we have established a Crisis Management Team (CMT) for areas facing such challenges.
“The CMT strengthens our election machinery and ensures smooth cooperation with any candidate representing Pakatan Harapan (PH),” he said.
