KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Umno remains united and ready for the state election, says Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, brushing aside recent internal disagreements.
Speaking at a Hari Raya event in Libaran, Sandakan, the Sabah Umno chief said it was more important to strengthen the party and prepare its election machinery – not air internal grievances.
"I don't know why somebody would want to raise this issue now. This is the time to prepare the machinery to face the election," he said.
This comes after his deputy, Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan, publicly questioned the way decisions on candidates were being handled in Sabah, particularly in the Tuaran parliamentary constituency.
In a Facebook post, Rahman said any decision on the seats Umno contests must be made collectively with the party's national leadership, not by any single individual.
Rahman also said Tuaran Umno had a right to be part of the discussions on its own electoral future, and any attempt to bypass the division could erode confidence in the leadership.
However, Sabah Umno liaison chief Datuk Suhaimi Nasir downplayed the significance of Rahman's remarks.
"That was personal interest, not the people's or the party's. We prioritise the party and the rakyat," Suhaimi said.
While Rahman has not confirmed whether he will contest in the upcoming state election, his recent statements underscore tension within the party leadership – especially on grassroots involvement and transparency on decision-making.
