Bung Mokhtar should just resign, says rival

KOTA KINABALU: Sukau assemblyman Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman has accused Kinabatangan Umno chief Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin of playing politics and making unfounded allegations about clique politics in the division.

Saddi, who lost to Bung Mokhtar by 100 votes in Saturday’s party’s elections, said that his rival should just carry out his wish to quit.

He said he believed that the quit threat was a political ploy by Bung Mokhtar who shocked members when he told them his plan to quit an hour after the results were announced on Saturday.

Bung Mokhtar, who is also Kinabatangan MP, rescinded his decision following an appeal by division leaders who asked him not to quit.

He has headed the division unchallenged since 1994.

On Tuesday, Saddi questioned Bung Mokthar’s move and asked why he only decided to do it after the party elections and alleged that it might be his game bring up another person to be candidate in the next general election.

“My question is why he did not resign before the party election. May be he wanted someone else to lead after him, (if that is the case) it is a form of cronyism.  He could have made way for me,” he said.

Saddi said that he hoped Bung Mokhtar go ahead with his resignation plans as there was a need for transformation in the party.

He also denied accusation that he was a planted candidate and believed that he could have won the division chief post if he was really “sponsored” as some quarters claimed.

Bung Mokhtar Radin also said he put on hold his intention to quit as division head pending a meeting with party president.

"My intention to quit was genuine but following strong calls from supporters in the division, I have put on hold plans to do so," he said when met in Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday.

He said that he would meet up with Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for advice and his blessings before deciding on his future as division chief.