LAHAD DATU: Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Panglima Bung Moktar Radin is confident that the BN central leadership will make the best decision in selecting partners to face the upcoming 17th State Election (PRN17).
He said that this step is crucial to ensure that BN will achieve a significant victory in the election.
Bung acknowledged that all decisions, whether BN will contest alone or cooperate with other parties, will be determined by the BN headquarters based on the consensus proposal made by Sabah BN together with other BN partners.
“So far, Sabah BN has not finalised any decision to cooperate with other parties. However, preliminary discussions have been held, but we will decide at the appropriate time,” he said.
Bung made these remarks after attending the Umno Sabah Breaking of Fast Ceremony for Zone 6, comprising Lahad Datu, Kalabakan, Tawau, and Semporna divisions, at the Dewan Sri Perdana Lahad Datu recently.
Bung, who is also Sabah UMNO chief, said this when asked to comment on the statement made by Deputy Chairman of BN Central, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan, who mentioned that any decision for BN to collaborate with other parties in facing the upcoming PRN17 will be decided by the BN central leadership.
According to Bung, it is still too early for the Sabah BN to declare anything about cooperation with other parties in Sabah.
Previously, the Chairman of BN and President of UMNO, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, was quoted as saying that the cooperation between BN and other parties in facing PRN Sabah 17 will only be determined after the dissolution of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly.
Bung stated that BN/UMNO Sabah needs to be more cautious and careful and will only collaborate with parties that respect the agreed agreements.
He said that the previous process of merging with other parties has taught UMNO/BN Sabah to be mature in establishing cooperation with other parties in the state.
“We will collaborate with political parties that respect each other’s agreements and benefit UMNO/BN and Sabah,” he said.
Bung also ruled out working together with parties from the previous coalition who were dishonest from the start in terms of candidate selection and constituency allocation during the PRN16 election, as well as being deceitful in the cabinet formation after the coalition took office.
“UMNO/BN Sabah has been cheated right from the start. Our intention was to field candidates in the designated constituencies for BN, but instead, independent candidates were put forward to challenge our candidates. Not only that, they went as far as campaigning and offering rewards to voters, all in an effort to ensure the defeat of our candidates. It is clear that parties like this have no room in the Sabah BN agenda for establishing ‘cooperation,” as Bung emphasized.
“We need loyal partners. What we are doing today is strengthening the party machinery. Gather issues and information that will be utilised during the election campaign,” he said.
