Be ready for early state polls, Bung Moktar reminds Sabah Barisan

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Barisan Nasional has been told to step up their machinery in anticipation of early state polls.

Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, who is state Barisan and Umno chairman, said even if the upcoming 17th state election happens only in October 2025 – after the current state government’s term ends – there’s still not much time to prepare for it.

“That’s why we have to always be prepared,” he said during a weekend event in Kinabatangan, according to a statement issued by his team.

Reminding Sabah Barisan members that the state election could be called earlier than scheduled, Bung Moktar said he does not want last-minute preparations.

“It’s not impossible for the state polls to be held earlier so we must be ready,” said the Lamag assemblyman.

Towards this end, Bung Moktar called on all Umno members, especially in Kinabatangan where he is the MP, to come up with strategies, including to counter-attack political rivals on social media.

He said the online war waged against Sabah Barisan-Umno has been intense.

“We must champion the rakyat’s issues. The people will surely not support a party that only talks a lot, but issues such as basic infrastructure development are still going on unresolved,” he added.

Bung Moktar also urged members not to lose faith, but to continue fending off the onslaught by cyber troopers with facts.

“We know they (the political rivals) control social media through online portals, but don’t allow their accusations and lies to go unchallenged as this will give a negative perception to the readers,” he said.

Sabah Umno was part of the state administration following the September 2020 state election, but became the opposition after a failed bid last January to unseat Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, who leads the seven-party Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).

There are indications that Sabah Barisan might team up with Parti Warisan to take on GRS in the next state polls.

Hajiji recently said that although GRS, which currently works with Pakatan Rakyat in the state, still has two more years in power, it might consider early elections, but he has no idea yet when it would be held.