We will not surrender our seat to Bersatu, says defiant Sabak Bernam Umno

PETALING JAYA: Sabak Bernam Umno will not give up the parliamentary seat to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) in the next general election, even if top leaders from both parties decide to do so, says division chief Datuk Abdul Rahman Bakri.

He said that the incumbent MP Datuk Mohd Fasiah Mohd Fakeh abandoned them without any notice when he jumped to Bersatu in 2019.

Abdul Rahman said there is no Bersatu presence in the Sabak Bernam parliamentary constituency and it has always been an Umno fort, even when Pakatan Harapan won Putrajaya.

"This is Umno territory and Fasiah knows it very well. When he jumped to Bersatu without telling any of us, he lost the right to defend the seat as we were the ones who voted him in under the Barisan Nasional flag.

"There are 15 seats where Umno MPs jumped to Bersatu and Bersatu wants to contest them with the incumbent MPs in the next general election.

"Sabak Bernam Umno will definitely defend this seat and Fasiah has no say in this.

"We have many other outstanding candidates who can replace Fasiah.

"If top leaders want to negotiate among themselves, that is up to them, but Sabak Bernam Umno decided at its last annual general meeting that it will not give up the seat to anyone," said Abdul Rahman.

An Umno old-timer, Abdul Rahman managed to defeat Fasiah to become the Sabak Bernam Umno division chief in the last Umno party elections.

Fasiah was elected Sabak Bernam MP in 2013 and retained his seat in 2018 under the Barisan ticket with a majority of 1,674 votes against Pakatan Harapan's Warno Dogol.

Abdul Rahman said Umno members were hurt when Fasiah jumped to Bersatu without informing or discussing with any Umno leaders.

"I am confident that Umno will manage to retain the seat under Barisan Nasional in the next general election, with our credible candidates.

"Even if Fasiah stands here under Bersatu, he will lose the seat," Abdul Rahman said.

Over the past few months, there has been much talk in public between Umno and Bersatu leaders over who should be contesting the 15 parliamentary seats where Umno MPs had jumped to Bersatu.

While Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has said that Umno has a right to those seats, some party leaders such as Tan Sri Annuar Musa have urged for the two parties to sit down and come to an understanding.

However, it has currently reached an impasse as party representatives have yet to meet to negotiate.

Bersatu had insisted that as the incumbent MPs, the 15 had a right to defend their seats as they won in the last general election.

Umno replied that as the seats were won under Barisan ticket, Bersatu had no right to do so.

The 15 seats won by Umno under Barisan ticket in 2018, from which the MPs subsequently jumped to Bersatu are:

Jeli, Kelantan - Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed

Bagan Serai, Perak - Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali

Masjid Tanah, Melaka - Datuk Wira Mas Ermieyati Samsudin

Larut, Perak - Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin

Hulu Terengganu, Terengganu - Datuk Rosol Wahid

Bukit Gantang, Perak -Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal

Mersing, Johor - Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad

Tasek Gelugor, Pulau Pinang - Datuk Shabudin Yahaya

Sabak Bernam, Selangor - Datuk Mohd Fasiah Mohd Fakeh

Tanah Merah, Kelantan - Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz

Beaufort, Sabah - Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun

Beluran, Sabah - Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee

Kudat, Sabah - Datuk Abd Rahim Bakri

Libaran, Sabah - Datuk Zakaria Mohd Edris

Sipitang, Sabah -Yamani Hafez Musa