KOTA KINABALU: Sabah UMNO has been accorded with autonomous authority to determine and establish a cooperative alliance with any political entity in anticipation of the forthcoming Sabah State Election (PRN).
Sabah UMNO Elections Director Jeffrey Nor Mohamed said this autonomy enables Sabah UMNO to effectively fulfil its duty of serving and advocating for the welfare of the people, with a particular focus on Sabah.
He said the recent attendance of Sabah UMNO Liaison Committee Chairman, Datuk Seri Panglima Bung Moktar Radin, at the Parti Warisan (Warisan) Annual General Meeting (AGM) here should not be viewed in a negative light.
Jeffrey Nor believes that even though the AGM only mentioned the formation of these two coalitions for future cooperation in the Sabah elections, it does not imply any wrongdoing.
In response to the criticism raised by the Minister of the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living, Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, regarding the impact of the collaboration between Warisan and Sabah UMNO on the unity government, Jeffrey Nor Mohamed stated that such statements are entirely inaccurate.
Jeffrey Nor, who is also the Putatan UMNO Division chief, emphasised that Armizan, as the Deputy Secretary of the Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), should consider this matter from a broader perspective.
“This is because Sabah UMNO has received an official invitation to attend the Warisan party’s annual general conference,” he added.
He said, “We (UMNO) fully support the unity government at the federal level, and the Warisan party also shares the same stance in supporting the unity government within the federal government.”.
“Sabah UMNO is committed to maintaining political stability.Therefore, Bung Moktar’s presence yesterday should not be seen as an effort to strengthen political stability in Sabah, but rather as a gesture of accepting the invitation from friends who also support the unity government at the federal level,” explained Jeffrey Nor.
According to Jeffrey Nor, it is important for other parties that support the unity government at the federal level to view the presence of Sabah UMNO in a positive light.
“Despite a recent AGM held by a party supporting the unity government at the SICC, they did not extend an invitation to Sabah UMNO.
“If Armizan claims that we are united in a unity government… I would like to ask him (Armizan) for evidence of this unity at the state level in Sabah,” said Jeffrey Nor.
Jeffrey Nor further highlighted that if a split were to occur in the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (DUN), some parties supporting the unity government at the federal level would sit in the opposition seats, while others may even sit on the government’s side.
“So, what is the truth behind Armizan’s statements?
“The fact that Sabah UMNO and Malaysia UMNO have become a’major coalition’ within the federation has been evident from the beginning, as we have consistently supported a unity government to prioritise political stability.
“The party’s top leadership, including Armizan, who has now become a full minister, should have a clear understanding of how the Unity Government at the federal level was formed,” added Jeffrey Nor.
