Already Weak Sabah Umno Risks Bigger Election Setback Says Analyst

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Sabah Umno, led by Bung Moktar Radin, has demanded that chief minister Hajiji Noor step down from his post.PETALING JAYA: With Sabah Umno no longer the dominant force it once was, the party risks a bigger setback in the next state assembly elections should it continue to antagonise its federal allies, an analyst said

Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said Sabah Umno sorely needed alliances with local parties if it wanted to perform well at the elections.
While it has stated its intention to work with Pakatan Harapan for the coming elections, even PH’s key component PKR had rebuffed Sabah Umno’s call for chief minister Hajiji Noor’s resignation over the alleged mining scandal.
“Political parties must demonstrate their ability to work within a coalition. For Sabah Umno, it needs to show it can collaborate with state-based parties. Their best option is to work with PH and demonstrate its ability to cooperate with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah,” he told FMT.
Azmi said Sabah Umno’s calls for Hajiji to step down would not work given the party’s weak position, particularly in the state assembly, adding that it needed to pick its battles wisely.
At the 2020 state elections, Umno secured 14 seats but only nine of its assemblymen currently sit in the opposition at the state assembly, with five backing Hajiji.
“This strategy (to oust Hajiji) is a no go from the start because GRS still holds the (majority in the state assembly).”
GRS, Umno, Pakatan Harapan and Warisan are allies in the federal government. However, in Sabah, the state government is composed of GRS and PH, while Sabah Umno sits in the opposition with Warisan.
Mining scandal
Sources previously told FMT that the leaking of a series of videos tying several Sabah assemblymen to an alleged mining scandal was part of an Umno-led plot against GRS.
Sabah Umno has since denied being the mastermind behind the leaks, although it has demanded that Hajiji step down as chief minister and challenged him to sue the person who leaked the videos.
Yesterday, Sabah PKR appeared to give Hajiji its backing, saying the state government should be allowed to function as usual pending an investigation into the allegations pertaining to the scandal.
Azmi said Sabah Umno should learn from Bung’s failed attempt to unseat Hajiji as chief minister in January last year. Similar to the push to oust Hajiji this time round, he said Sabah Umno did not have the support.
He said “Sabah Umno has lost the plot” when it suggested that Hajiji be replaced by deputy chief minister Jeffrey Kitingan, president of Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR).
Bung’s waning influence
Bung Moktar’s influence has waned in recent months, according to political analyst Bridget Welsh, who said the recent controversy may not be able to do Bung any favours as there was growing momentum to replace Sabah Umno’s leadership.
“His base is not as strong as it once was.”
Welsh said whether Sabah Umno could benefit from the mining controversy hinged on how it manages its internal conflicts and with whom it is aligned during the elections. - FMT

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