AHMAD Zahid Hamidi and Umno grassroots members were conspicuously missing from an event that was supposed to feature the bosses of all parties in Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).

The Umno president was to headline the “ceramah perdana” along with the presidents of parties in Perikatan Nasional, Sabah Barisan Nasional and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS).

GRS faces Warisan Plus in the Sabah elections tomorrow.

Zahid’s absence comes a day after he did not pledge Umno’s full support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin when opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim challenged Perikatan Nasional’s administration.

Also missing was Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin, who has an acrimonious relationship with PN.  

Their absence along with Umno grassroots members at an event billed as a rally and show of strength for GRS has sparked questions as to how united the coalition really is.

Zahid said he can’t stop Umno and BN lawmakers from supporting Anwar’s bid to be the prime minister.

Zahid, who is the Bagan Datoh MP, was commenting on Anwar’s claim of enjoying a “strong, formidable and convincing” majority in Parliament.

Instead of Zahid, Umno was represented by party vice-president Mahdzir Khalid, who refused to comment on his president’s absence.

“No comment,” Mahdzir told reporters when asked why Zahid was missing despite his photo being on posters of the ceramah that were shared on social media.

The event, held under a large tent in the middle of a field in Kg Sendil, Putatan, was in the Petagas seat which PN is attempting to wrest from the Warisan Plus coalition.

Sabah BN contested Petagas in the 14th general election but the seat was given to PN this time.

PN banners and flags along with PBS’s handshake logo were strung up everywhere around the tents while the audience were mostly wearing the navy blue PN T-shirts.

BN’s dacing logo was only on two flags at a remote corner of the main stage.

The other Sabah BN representatives were MCA president Dr Wee Ka Siong and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah deputy president Arthur Joseph.

PN grassroots members insist that there were Umno members among the crowd.

“We gave out Perikatan T-shirts to everyone in the audience, including Umno members. They must have worn them as a show of solidarity with us,” said Iswadi Jamal, a PN activist from Kg Sendil.

Iswadi said Umno members worked closely with PN to campaign for the latter’s candidate in Petagas.

Ramlin Ramis believes that despite the bad blood in the past, Umno supporters will vote for the PN tomorrow.

“They came to our event. I recognised some of them even though they were not wearing their uniforms.” – September 25, 2020.