Talk of Bung Moktar being replaced as Sabah Umno chief baseless, says state leader

 

KOTA KINABALU: Talk that Sabah Umno chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (pic) will be replaced is untrue, says a state leader Jeffrey Nor Mohamed.

“It is totally untrue and baseless.

“Certain people with political agendas of their own are spreading it to destabilise Umno in the state,” he said when contacted Thursday (Sept 14).

Jeffrey, who is Sabah Umno election director and Putatan division chief, said that Sabah Umno is united and it has a good working relationship with Bung Moktar.

He added Bung Moktar has managed to strengthen the state Umno after Barisan Nasional lost the state government in 2018.

“When then Umno leaders defected to other parties, Bung Moktar stayed on to keep the party together and worked hard for the party to get back into the government in the 2020 state election.

“We in Sabah Umno fully support Bung Moktar to continue his leadership in the state.

“No is no dispute about it.

“Maybe there are s few people with personal agendas who are trying to cause problems.

“They are spreading rumours for their own political interests,” he said, adding that under Bung Moktar’s leadership, Sabah Umno is focused on capturing the state.

Bung Moktar, who was acquitted of corruption charges by Kuala Lumpur High Court last week, is now seen to have a stronger hold on the party in the state.

However, internal political rivals allegedly working with outside forces have been trying to unseat him as Sabah Umno chief in a bid to work with the GRS state government led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

In the 2020 snap state elections, Bung Moktar led Sabah Barisan to join forces with a loose coalition called Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS). GRS was led by Sabah Bersatu chairman Hajiji to topple the Parti Warisan-held state government under Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

However, earlier this year, Bung Moktar withdrew Barisan’s support for the state government after Hajiji led a mass exodus out of Sabah Bersatu in December last year to form Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) to be part of the federal-level unity government.

Hajiji managed to hold on to his majority with the support of Pakatan Harapan assemblymen and defectors from Sabah Barisan.

All parties are part of the federal unity government, but relations between Sabah Barisan and GRS has remained contentious, with some Barisan-Umno assemblymen continuing to work with Hajiji’s government.

Warisan, which is seen to be having warmer ties with Sabah Barisan under Bung Moktar, remains an opposition party to GRS at the state level. - Star