SABAH Bersatu grassroots are disappointed and angry over remarks made by the state leader of their ally Umno, Bung Moktar Radin, that the latter will contest in all parliamentary seats in the next general election.

They accuse Bung, the Sabah Umno chief, of jumping the gun, as seat allocation should be decided by the top level in Perikatan Nasional of which both parties are partners.

Bersatu’s Sipitang division deputy chief Mazlan Manan told The Malaysian Insight that Bung’s comments are his personal opinion rather than a PN decision.

Mazlan was rebutting Bung’s claim to calm the anger brewing among the Bersatu grassroots.

“Many of them are disappointed, angry. So, it is our duty to explain to them that such a decision could only be made by leaders at the top level,” said Mazlan.

He also believes that PN leaders won’t betray Bersatu in Sabah by agreeing to Bung’s proposal.

Kinabatangan Bersatu division chief Aksyah Nasrah, concurred with Mazlan when she said she does not believe Bung’s proposal has the blessings of PN.

“That is more like his personal opinion, not that of Umno’s. Even though Sabah Umno has autonomous power to make them, I believe they (Sabah Umno) still have to refer such matters to Umno central leadership.

“We in Bersatu don’t accept what he had said as reflective of the party’s stand.

“I also think it is not the party’s decision as he is not the Barisan Nasional chairman. That’s only his personal view.”

Aksyah, however, said Bung’s comments will damage the fragile relationship among parties in the coalition, adding that it’s irrelevant to the current political scene in the state.

“The political landscape in Sabah has changed since the 14th general election and voters are increasingly literate on who they want to serve them.

“They no longer vote for the dominant party only.

“Even the PN composition in Sabah differs from in the peninsula because in Sabah, there are many local-based parties, not only peninsula-based like Barisan Nasional (BN), Bersatu or PAS.”

Umno would be making a mistake saying that it can win its past seats, she said.

“If Umno wants to contest say in Beluran which they say is their stronghold, then they are wrong in their assumption.”

Last week, Bung said Umno will recontest in all the seats from the last general election and other seats it deems fit.

The Kinabatangan MP said the decision was made to gauge if Sabah Umno is still relevant to Sabah folk.

His comments follow that of Bersatu’s Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad, who said Umno has lost its appeal in Sabah.

The rural development minister later apologised over the remark following condemnation from Umno leaders.

In the fallout, Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob said he left the decision to Sabah Umno leaders if they still want to work with Sabah Bersatu leaders.

Aksyah said Bung’s statement reflected Sabah Umno’s arrogance and portraying itself as “Abang Long” – the influential big brother and a dominant party in the state.

“In the political context, it gives a negative impact. It is not that Bersatu members only want to make noise about it, they are tired of such nonsense as we still remember what they were when they the dominant party in the government.

“We do not want to return to the past, to the era of the warlords. The people now want quality leaders,” she said.

Umno is no longer dominant in Sabah after losing seven of the 14 seats it contested in the last election – Kota Belud, Sepanggar, Papar, Tenom, Silam, Semporna and Kalabakan.

The defeat was a big slap for the party after being in power for 24 years.

With the defeat, five Umno MPs dumped the party for Bersatu – Abdul Rahim Bakri (Kudat), Azizah Mohd Dun (Beaufort), Ronald Kiandee (Beluran), Zakaria Mohd Edris (Libaran) and Yamani Hafez Musa (Sipitang).

Sabah Bersatu deputy chief Masidi Manjun said discussions on the division of seats among PN parties in Sabah for GE15 have yet to start.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in a report by the Nikkei Asian Review in June did not discount the possibility of snap elections in the first quarter of next year. – July 18, 2020.