Zahid flies to Sabah as political tension brews

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he will be in Sabah tonight to resolve political tension brewing in the state.

Harian Metro quoted Zahid as saying that an official statement on the situation involving Umno, Warisan, Pakatan Harapan and GRS, ahead of the 17th Sabah state election, will be issued in Kota Kinabalu tomorrow.

“I will fly to Sabah immediately after this event. I will issue a statement in Kota Kinabalu tomorrow,” Zahid was quoted as saying after launching MoodaFest in Kuala Lumpur.

Sabah Umno led by Kinabatangan MP Bung Moktar Radin previously indicated readiness to cooperate with Warisan under party president Shafie Apdal.

The cooperation will see Sabah Umno and Warisan going up against GRS led by Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor, as well as Harapan components.

Previously, Shafie said cooperation between Warisan and Umno is possible in the interest of all Sabahans.

Similarly, Bung Moktar, a former Sabah deputy chief minister, also reportedly admitted to Umno having no reservations to cooperate with Warisan.

All of the parties are a part of the federal unity government after GE15.

Neither GRS nor Warisan have enough MPs to threaten the federal government's hold on power.

Sabah is due for a state election next year, although there is rife anticipation that Hajiji might call for polls this year.

‘False and slanderous’

On a related matter, Umno vice-president Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail denied claims by exiled blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin that Zahid had ordered BN MPs to gather in Cameron Highlands and state their support for Anwar Ibrahim to remain as prime minister.

Instead, the Pahang menteri besar said Zahid, as deputy prime minister, had visited Kampung Orang Asli Sungai Ruil which was hit by a landslide last October, followed by a meeting with Pahang Umno grassroots.

"Therefore, I would like to state that the claims by blogger Raja Petra that the Umno president had ordered all BN MPs to gather in Cameron Highlands to state support for the prime minister is false and slanderous," he said.

"This slander and allegations are made only to sensationalise the 'Dubai Move' issue," he said, referring to Raja Petra's claims that the opposition has garnered 120 statutory declarations to topple the coalition government. - Mkini