Ex-Sabah Umno chief: We left party on our own accord

KOTA KINABALU: The move by Sabah Umno leaders to quit the party en masse on Wednesday (Dec 12) was their own decision, claims former Sabah Umno chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor (pic).

Hajiji, who led 14 state and federal lawmakers and 21 Umno division in leaving the party, said that claims by Rembau MP Datuk Khairy Jamaluddin that Datuk Hishammuddin Tun Hussein was the strategist behind their departure were untrue.

"It was our decision and ours alone. Nobody else was behind it," Hajiji said here on Friday (Dec 14).

He reiterated that their decision was due to the lack of direction from Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and the political realities of the new Malaysia after the May 9 general election.

There was speculation that certain Umno leaders were offering Sabah Umno MPs and assemblymen to Pakatan Harapan parties.

"We don't want to be used by these leaders or made pawns in their political games. We made our own decision," said a former Sabah Umno leader on condition of anonymity.

However, none of the former Sabah Umno leaders who became independents after leaving the party are indicating their next move for now.

The nine state assemblymen and five MPs, together with 21 Sabah Umno division have declared support for the Pakatan Harapan government led by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the state government led by Parti Warisan Sabah president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

It is widely speculated that the ex-Umno leaders will start a Sabah chapter of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia to draw out Umno members in the state.

Bersatu has not officially stated that they are spreading their wings to Sabah, while Pakatan partners like DAP and PKR are pressuring Bersatu not to accept ex- Sabah Umno leaders.

In a strategic move during GE14, Bersatu stayed out of Sabah, leaving Warisan to lead a coalition with DAP and PKR to take on Sabah Barisan Nasional, led by then-Sabah Umno chairman Tan Sri Musa Aman.

Warisan and its partners now hold 45 seats in the 65-member state assembly.

Musa, the longest-serving Sabah chief minister who held the post for 15 years, still remains with the party.

He is currently facing corruption charges related to over RM200mil worth over timber deals during his tenure as chief minister.

Sabah Umno is now led by Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mokthar Radin.