KOTA KINABALU: Kinabatangan Umno has rejected reports that 5,000 of its members left the party to join Warisan on Sunday, calling such claims “outrageous”.
Kinabatangan Umno information chief Titing Putang told FMT only about 200 people attended the event which saw former Sandakan Umno Wanita chief Noraini Sulong submit her application to join Warisan.
“I think it is outrageous for the former Umno division chief in Api Api, Basri Osman, and Warisan secretary-general Loretto Padua Jr, to claim that 5,000 Umno members in Kinabatangan left the party to join Warisan,” he said.
“I have witnesses who said the number of people at the event was low and certainly not 5,000 people.”
He added that Umno in Kinabatangan remained as strong and relevant as ever despite being in the opposition now. He said the grassroots still believed the party was capable of fighting for their rights, especially as Sabah Umno is now led by Kinabatangan MP and Kinabatangan Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin.
Titing, who is Bung Moktar’s liaison chief, said he bore no ill will towards former Umno members and leaders who left the party, including Noraini who allegedly took some 1,000 party members to Warisan.
“There are some people who are not comfortable being in the opposition. When Berjaya was in power, they joined Berjaya. When it was PBS, they jumped to PBS and then later to Barisan Nasional. Now, that Warisan is in power, they have decided to change party again.
“We cannot stop them from doing this. It is their right, but I hope they will stop blaming Umno when it is apparent that they just cannot stand being in the opposition,” he said.
Loretto announced on Sunday that 5,000 Umno members from 10 branches in Sandakan and 66 in Kinabatangan had joined Warisan.
He also said more Umno members were expected to follow suit. - FMT
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