KOTA KINABALU: Former Sabah Umno MPs and assemblymen will wait it out as independents, with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) holding back the party's move to Sabah.
Former Umno state secretary Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said they will remain as independent representatives, in response to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's statement on Monday (Dec 17) that Bersatu will not be spreading its wings to Sabah.
Dr Mahathir's announcement was made, amid rumours that a good number of former Sabah Umno leaders will start a Sabah chapter of Bersatu to lure Umno members in the state.
Karanaan assemblyman Masidi, however, said the newly independent lawmakers and assemblymen have not decided on their political platform, and were not in a hurry to do so.
"We are all still independent assemblymen and MPs.
"Of course, we cannot stop Umno members who left the party to join other political parties, including Bersatu.
"Dr Mahathir did say that Sabahans can join Bersatu as direct members," said the former Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment minister when contacted on Tuesday (Dec 18).
However, photos of boxloads of what looked like Bersatu membership forms have gone viral on social media, with one box labelled "Batu Sapi", which is a federal constituency in Sabah.
One of the viral photos also showed former Sabah Umno leaders including Masidi, Sulaman assemblyman Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor and Beaufort MP Azizah Dun posing with what seemed to be a Bersatu membership form, further alluding to the possibility of them joining the peninsula-based party.
When asked to comment on the photos, Masidi did not give an answer.
Last week saw Sabah Umno losing nine of its 10 assemblymen, five of its six MPs and 22 of 25 division chiefs.
Among those who quit were state party chairman Hajiji Mohd Noor and MPs Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee (Beluran), Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun (Beaufort), Datuk Rahim Bakri (Kudat), Yamani Hafez Musa (Sipitang) and Datuk Zakaria Edris (Libaran).
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