KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak has rejected the notion that Sabah can only be safe under the governance of local parties, emphasizing instead that the people are becoming increasingly mature and open-minded in assessing the capabilities of political parties.
The Treasurer of UMNO Sabah stated that the narrative portraying national parties as unsuitable to govern Sabah is inaccurate and contradicts the political history of the state.
Salleh asserted that UMNO’s presence in Sabah is not aimed at dominating the state, but was a response to an invitation from local leaders at that time, thereby demonstrating the role of national parties in uniting the community.
“If we recall, UMNO came to Sabah after being invited by the United Sabah National Organization (USNO) because USNO believed they could not unite the people of Sabah and thus invited UMNO.
“…and many of us joined UMNO, not only from USNO but from other parties as well. Therefore, I believe UMNO’s presence here is not about colonizing Sabah but about saving the people of Sabah, and we should view the party as a platform to achieve our goals for the development of Sabah,” he stated here on Tuesday.
Further commenting, Salleh, who previously held the position of the ninth Chief Minister of Sabah, stated that BN must correct the perception of certain parties that the national party does not support the people of Sabah.
Salleh added that BN, particularly UMNO, has become a crucial platform for organized development and provides a stable political environment for the interests of the state.
Additionally, Salleh clarified that the political tsunami that occurred in 2018 should not be viewed as a rejection of BN by the people of Sabah.
“In the context of Sabah at that time, we and the opposing party each secured 29 seats.
“So we did not lose, but we were unable to form a government because several assembly members (ADUN) at that time sided with them (the opposition). In terms of public support in Sabah, it should not be entirely considered a rejection of BN.
“After we did not receive significant support, it is certainly necessary for us to examine what our weaknesses are in Sabah. What are the actual aspirations of the people?” he explained.
The experienced politician also disagreed with the view that this time’s PRN17 is a ‘lifeline’ for BN to regain control of the state leadership.
Instead, Salleh reiterated that UMNO has long been rooted in Sabah.
He stated that BN Sabah has also identified areas with high potential for the coalition to win in the upcoming Sabah PRN scheduled for November 29.
“Every village already has its branches… there are Youth, Women, and Puteri wings. This means the party is already structured in Sabah. What is important for us is to convince the people to continue supporting us.
“We cannot view the election as the ultimate determinant of everything. However, the election provides an opportunity for the people to make their choice,” he said.
In the 17th Sabah PRN, BN is collaborating with Pakatan Harapan (PH), with the coalition fielding candidates.
Source – Astroawani
