Sabah Umno To Partner Only Those Who Keep Their Word

---

 
Bung Moktar Radin said Sabah Barisan Nasional would focus on a formulating a new strategy for the state assembly elections, to be held by October 2025. (Bernama pic)PETALING JAYA: Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin said the party will work only with parties that keep their promises as past experience had taught the party to be careful about choosing its allies.
“We will work with political parties that honour their word and will provide value to Umno and as well as the state. We will also consider partners who are loyal and sincere in cooperating to improve the wellbeing of Sabahans,” he said, according to Berita Harian.
However, the decision of choosing allies would depend on the political circumstances at the time.
Bung, who is Sabah Barisan Nasional chief, said that for now, the party will focus on strengthening its machinery and collecting data for the state assembly elections.
“We need to formulate a new strategy and approach stakeholders, including youth voters, to ensure political turmoil would not affect Umno and BN’s chances of governing Sabah once again,” he added.
Yesterday, Sabah chief minister Hajiji Noor said the ruling coalition in the state will apply the “unity government” formula in the next election, following calls for peninsula-based parties to sit out the polls.
Hajiji said this in response to a call by Sabah Progressive Party president Yong Teck Lee for PH, BN and Perikatan Nasional to stay out of the state elections which must be held by October 2025.
Hajiji’s government, led by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, was on the verge of collapse in January, when Sabah BN-Umno retracted their support after accusing Hajiji of violating a electoral pact with BN, Parti Bersatu Sabah and Perikatan Nasional after the state elections in 2020.
He said BN and Umno assemblymen had then agreed to back Hajiji as chief minister as long as the state Cabinet included BN and Umno representatives. They also wanted BN and Umno members to hold top posts in government-owned companies. - FMT

---