DESPITE certain quarters calling for Bersatu to open a chapter in Sabah, chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad will not allow the move to happen, according to sources close to the party leader.

A source said Dr Mahathir doesn’t want Sabah to experience the political scenario of the 90’s all over again, which have left many Sabahans still bitter.

“The 90’s saw the Dr Mahathir-led Umno entering Sabah through the dissolution United Sabah National Organisation (Usno), which was led by the late former chief minister Mustapha Datu Harun, and its members became Umno members,” he said.

The entry of Umno in Sabah saw the party quickly take power in the state, introducing a number of unpopular policies and federal control over the state government.

Among these policies were the two-year chief minister rotation system and denying crucial positions in the government to Sabahans.

However, he noted the party is open to Sabahans as direct members and that the party membership is open including to the Sabah Umno defectors.

“At present, there are already 15,000 Sabahans registered as Bersatu members.

“They are largely Sabahans who are living in Sabah and those who living in the Peninsular Malaysia,” the source said.

Several Sabah politicians have talked about opening up a state Bersatu unit and this has made the state’s top ruling party, Parti Warisan Sabah, uneasy.

It came following the mass exodus of Sabah Umno leaders led by then liaison chief Hajiji Mohd Noor on December 12.

More than half of Sabah Umno’s members left the party, citing loss of confidence with the party leadership.

This saw Umno lose five MPs from Sabah, nine assemblymen, two senators, 21 of the 25 division heads, as well as 50% of the party’s over 500,000 members along.

Reports have surfaced that the Sabah Umno defectors are now trying to set up a Bersatu chapter.

Another leader keen to bring Bersatu to Sabah is Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah president Lajim Ukin.

The former Klias assemblyman had been rumoured trying to bring in Bersatu into Sabah several times.

Firstly, he was seen attending Bersatu’s anniversary celebration, then he was seen as having an audience with Dr Mahathir and also mentioned he will be sending a delegation as observers to the Bersatu annual general assembly, which begins today.

Lajim also said there was nothing wrong if Bersatu sets foot in Sabah.

But some Sabah political critics disagreed and saw his actions as allowing the second coming of Sabah Umno into the state.

“The 14th general election clearly sent out a message that Sabahans want an end of Umno rule in Sabah, but what Lajim and several other leaders are doing clearly speak for itself.

“They want Sabah to remain under the control of a peninsular based party,” said a political observer with close ties to local political leaders.

Meanwhile, a Bersatu source noted if the party accepts the Sabah Umno defectors, it will only be on the basis of direct membership.

This means they could only contest for party positions but not in the general election.

“They will not be allowed to contest in general elections and if they still insist, they have to seek permission from Parti Warisan Sabah.

“This means they will contest on the Warisan ticket, or perhaps PKR or Amanah in the 15th general election,” he said.

Another way for them to be candidates is for Bersatu to amend the party constitution, but the party has not reached that point yet, the source said.

“At one point, a meeting of Bersatu supreme council members may be called to vote whether or not to open a branch in Sabah.

“It is at this point that Dr Mahathir may express his disagreement to set foot in Sabah, if the party calls for a vote,” said the source, adding that Bersatu doesn’t want to break its promises. – December 30, 2018.