Zahid Seeking To Project A United Sabah Bn Ahead Of State Polls Say Analysts

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 Analysts say the Umno president’s denial of internal camps aims to stabilise Sabah BN’s image and reassure voters as the state election looms.
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said there are no more factions in Umno and Barisan Nasional in Sabah. (Umno pic)PETALING JAYA: Analysts see the recent denial by Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi of factions in his coalition as an attempt to project an image of unity and stability ahead of the Sabah state election
BN, especially Sabah Umno, has long been seen as split between two camps: one aligned with Bung Moktar Radin and the other with Bung’s deputy, Abdul Rahman Dahlan.
Analysts Bilcher Bala and Syahruddin Awang Ahmad of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) said Zahid’s dismissal of such claims demonstrated a calm and strategic approach by the party leadership to managing internal perceptions and external narratives.
“This shows that Umno is ready to face the state polls with a clear and united strategy, without any internal disruptions.
“It also reflects a level of maturity and a commitment to prioritising the people’s interests over personal or factional agendas,” Bilcher told FMT.
Syahruddin, on the other hand, said that Zahid, as coalition chairman, was trying to assure the supporters of both Bung and Rahman, as well as the grassroots, that everyone was on the same team.
“Zahid’s prompt denial is a strategic move to seize control of the narrative and prevent any potential fallout, either within or outside of the party,” he said.
He added that if such rumours were left unchecked, they could become easy ammunition for political rivals during the campaign.
Zahid, the Umno president, said yesterday that there were no more factions in Umno and BN in Sabah.
He acknowledged that Umno and BN had lost previous elections due to internal disputes, among other reasons.
“There’s no Bung Moktar faction, no Abdul Rahman faction, no Salleh Said faction, and no Yakub Khan faction. There is only one Sabah BN team,” he was quoted as saying at the launch of the BN election machinery in Sepanggar, Kota Kinabalu.
Bilcher and Syahruddin agreed that Zahid’s intervention could strengthen confidence among party members and voters, while showcasing Umno’s ability to govern effectively and overcome internal challenges.
“His remarks reinforce the message that Sabah Umno is focused solely on winning the state assembly seats it will contest in upcoming state elections, rather than being distracted by internal disputes,” said Syahruddin, the deputy dean of the faculty of social sciences and humanities at UMS.
“This initiative by Zahid could also appeal to fence-sitters who are seeking political stability and cohesion in the state’s leadership,” he added. - FMT

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