KOTA KINABALU: There is no reason for Umno to give up parliamentary seats it won in the previous election to other party candidates including Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, says Beaufort Umno deputy division chief.
Datuk Siti Aminah Aching said Umno would not compromise on this matter because the seats won by Umno previously should be held by Umno although those who won under their ticket had already switched parties.
Her statement comes after the Bersatu Srikandi chief for Sabah, Datuk Azizah Dun said that Bersatu would defend the seats they held currently including Beaufort, Sipitang, Beluran, Libaran and Kudat.
"These seats she mentioned were won under the Umno ticket. They left Umno to join Bersatu after that," Aminah said.
"There is no reason for Umno to give these seats to other parties. This is not only our wish but also from the grassroots who support us and want to see Umno become dominant in the political scene once more," she said.
She said as a democratic nation, there were bound to be candidates from various parties contesting the same seat.
"But we cannot belittle the strength of our party and members who are rising up, reviving and on the way to becoming a dominant party once again," Aminah said.
She said Umno was the largest party in the country and thus its strengths and ability to ensure political stability was there.
Sipitang Umno division secretary, Abdul Rahman Mohd Noh said they would also defend the Sipitang seat come GE15.
"We will not give up the seat for anyone else. Umno won this seat and it is our duty to defend the seat," he said.
He said Umno’s election machinery had started working harder going to the grassroots while a total of 30 district voting centres have been reactivated to prepare for GE15, which was expected to be called any time.
