BERSATU should not “dream” of contesting in the majority of the Sabah state seats, said Umno Youth information chief Shahril Hamdan. 

Shahril’s comments come after Sabah Bersatu chief Hajiji Noor said the party will contest in 45 seats in the upcoming state elections.

“Today, the Sabah Bersatu chief said he will contest 45 seats out of 73 seats in the upcoming Sabah state election. 

“Two words: Don’t Dream (jangan mimpi),” he said on his Facebook page.

He said Sabah Umno has the autonomy to determine the candidates and the seats contested, and added if Bersatu wishes to be friends with Umno, then it should cooperate.

“We can discuss and we can negotiate. Sabah Umno has the autonomy to determine the candidates and the seats contested.

“But even before negotiating, Bersatu is asserting its intention to contest 45 out of 73 seats. That is not a step based on wisdom or sincerity,” he said.

Shahril said Umno has ambitions in Sabah, but they go hand in hand with wisdom by taking steps to respect the negotiation process. 

He advised Bersatu to think first before issuing a statement or acting because each of these actions will have an impact on the grassroots, not just in Sabah.

Shahril added that he is confident that Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin and his team can manage in the latest political landscape.

Earlier today, Hajiji said the party will be fielding winnable candidates with integrity and credibility.

He also said that Bersatu was prepared to discuss with other parties in Perikatan Nasional to ensure victory in the polls. – August 1, 2020.