'Sabah Bersatu leaders were asked to sign letters for Muhyiddin's exit'

 

Several Sabah Bersatu division chiefs have alleged that some of their party members were unexpectedly asked to sign a document calling for party president Muhyiddin Yassin’s resignation, following the party’s poor performance in the Sabah polls.

In a joint statement today, they claimed that the request came during a meeting which was supposed to be on the post-mortem of the recently concluded state election.

“For your information, yesterday the candidates and division chiefs were summoned by the Sabah Bersatu secretary, Yunus (Nurdin), to the Sabah Bersatu office to present their post-election reports.

“However, upon arrival, they were instead asked to sign a document urging Muhyiddin to resign, something completely unrelated to the original purpose of the meeting and highly unethical,” they said.

The statement was signed by eight Bersatu division chiefs - Ahmad Ali Akbar Khan Gulan (Lahad Datu), Jupri Omar (Kota Belud), Faizal Julaili (Papar), Ekbal Khalid (Kalabakan), Abidin Sahat (Ranau), Amat Yusof (Kimanis), Mazmin Mazin (Kinabatangan) and Ramli AG Said (Sipitang).

Ali had also posted the statement on his Facebook page.

Sabah Bersatu secretary Yunus Nurdin

This came a day after Yunus, who is also the party’s Libaran division head, claimed that 20 out of 24 Bersatu divisions had unanimously agreed to demand the former prime minister’s immediate resignation as Bersatu president and Perikatan Nasional chairperson.

According to the Borneo Post, the Sabah PN secretary said that Muhyiddin, who has been struggling to maintain control amid calls to pass the baton to his number two, Hamzah Zainudin, must take full responsibility for the party’s disastrous performance.

‘Hamzah, Ronald should take responsibility’

However, the division chiefs who issued today’s statement insisted that Yunus’ remarks did not represent them.

They asserted that the accountability for PN’s performance rests squarely with PN’s election director, Hamzah, and Sabah PN chairperson Ronald Kiandee instead.

From left: Bersatu leaders Hamzah Zainudin, Muhyiddin Yassin and Ronald Kiandee

They argued that both Hamzah and Kiandee oversaw all preparations, strategies, and decisions for the state polls, and must therefore present the post-mortem findings to the Bersatu supreme leadership council and address any issues raised.

“Those responsible for managing the state election must explain PN’s performance in the Sabah state polls to the grassroots, rather than shifting the responsibility onto others who were not directly involved in managing the state election,” they added.

The group lamented that instead of helping Hamzah and Kiandee to prepare the post-mortem report, Yunus proceeded with a press conference to “point fingers” before the report was even finalised.

Yunus was also accused of acting without consulting party leadership and of breaching party discipline.

“We urge the Sabah Bersatu and state PN leadership to take responsibility, with integrity, for PN’s performance in the 17th Sabah state election and not politicise this matter.

“They should not make any party a scapegoat to cover their own shortcomings,” they added. - Mkini