Bung's Kinabatangan Umno division still intact after members’ departure, says its info chief

KOTA KINABALU: The Kinabatangan Umno division remains intact and not affected by the departure of some of its members to Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat), said its information chief Datuk Titing Putang.

While they respected the decision by the group, Titing said the mood among the remaining loyal members had not been jeopardised and instead they were more driven now to uphold the party’s fight and struggles.

“This culture of party hopping is not something new and has been existent in Sabah for so long and the people are mature to see that,” he said in a statement here on Thursday (Feb 23).

He contended that those who chose to defect from the division, which is led by Sabah Umno chief and Kinabatangan MP Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, were not members with principles and integrity, adding they were also ungrateful towards the party which contributed much to their positions and wellbeing now.

“Like the saying goes, where there is sugar, there are bound to be ants.

“That is how humans will be when their personal agendas are unfulfilled, they will find new opportunities for their survival ... but whatever it is we wish them all the best,” Titing said.

He was commenting on the announcement by the group led by the former Kinabatangan Umno Youth chief Datuk Juhari Janan in the Sandakan district earlier on Thursday.

In a press conference, Juhari said they took the decision to leave after considering Sabah’s development needs could be better fulfilled by joining Gagasan Rakyat, adding the state lagged behind Sarawak which was able to obtain what it demanded from the Federal Government.

This comes after four assemblymen from Sabah Barisan Nasional-Umno and one aligned to Sabah Barisan as well as three Parti Warisan reps announced their decision to join Gagasan Rakyat on Monday (Feb 20).

Gagasan Rakyat is the new political vehicle of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor who is also the chairman of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) ruling state coalition.

Towards this end, Titing said the move by the group has made it clear who among the party members were loyalists.

According to him, leaving Umno did not guarantee positive things for voters in the Kinabatangan parliamentary constituency which also comprised the Lamag and Sukau state seats.

He added that Sabah Barisan-Umno will continue to help constituents in Kinabatangan even if the state government chose to overlook them due to political vengeance.

“The people will be protected through allocations channelled by the Federal Government, which Barisan-Umno was a significant part of, via its MP and Kinabatangan division chief (Bung Moktar),” he said.