KOTA KINABALU: The war of words between one-time partners Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Barisan Nasional heats up over accusations of broken promises, disloyalty and betrayal.
It started when Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, on Tuesday (June 3), reiterated his unwillingness to work with GRS due to a "dark and bitter" history.
He said Barisan must be extra cautious and assess GRS' sincerity before even considering working with them in the 17th state election (PRN), which can be called anytime soon.
“There’s an old saying: don’t get bitten by the same snake twice,” he said.
However, he did not dismiss the possibility of both coalitions working together post election, but stressed that this matter can only be evaluated after the polls.
His statement comes after Kota Kinabalu Umno chief Mosliati Muslimin said there was no longer room for political cooperation with GRS or Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (PGRS) after "betrayals and broken promises".
She claimed these betrayals started even during the 2020 state election in the form of vote-splitting tactics where independent candidates were placed in seats meant for BN candidates.
She also said that Bung and Barisan had made compromises along the way, which allowed GRS to head the current state government.
GRS information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai hit back at Bung, calling his latest remarks arrogant and disconnected from Sabah’s political reality.
He said Bung was the last person who should talk about loyalty or sincerity as Bung had tried to bring down the very government he was part of, just to serve his own ambition.
He dismissed Bung’s claim that GRS had betrayed Barisan, describing it as a clear attempt to twist the narrative and deflect from his own actions.
“It is Bung who conspired with Warisan and PKDM in January 2023 to topple the government led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor,” said Bangkuai.
“He wasn’t betrayed, he was the one betraying. Even while sitting in the state Cabinet, he had no respect for his colleagues in the state government led by Hajiji as Chief Minister,” he said.
He stressed that GRS has never been reliant on Umno and was fully prepared to face the upcoming state election independently while warning Bung to stop his arrogance by insinuating that GRS hard up enough to work with Umno-BN.
Bangkuai also pointed out that during the political crisis, several Umno assemblymen refused to support Bung’s move and instead threw their support for Hajiji, alongside Pakatan Harapan.
“If anyone needs to reflect, it’s Bung. Why did even your own colleagues abandon your ‘Langkah Kinabalu’? Why did PH support Hajiji, not you? The answer is obvious because the trust wasn’t with you,” he said.
Joniston, who is also PBS information chief, reiterated that his party would never forget the insult hurled by Bung when he once labelled PBS as "melukut di tepi gantang" (a party that is powerless and useless).
“You showed no respect for PBS or your allies, and now you expect cooperation? Don’t be surprised if Sabahans continue to reject Umno like they did in other states across the Peninsula.
“Sabah isn’t your political lifeline. Don’t treat this state as your fallback plan,” he said, stressing that GRS is now focused on what mattered - unity, stability, and delivering for the people.
Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) information chief Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan also fired back at Barisan, bringing up the 2020 state elections where Barisan allegedly had agreed to only contest in 27 seats, but fielded 41 candidates on nomination day.
“Barisan must remember they are no longer the ‘big boys’ in politics. Nationally, their influence has dwindled,” he said.
He said for GRS and Gagasan Rakyat, the focus now was to work for the people and state as they prepare for the coming state elections.
Libaran assemblyman Datuk Suhaimi Nasir, who is also Libaran Umno chief, meanwhile, reminded Bangkuai how his political career started - during Barisan’s era.
He said Bangkuai and PBS should not talk about loyalty when history clearly showed otherwise.
“PBS left Barisan a day before the 1990 election and returned to Barisan in 2002, before leaving again in 2018 after Barisan lost in the state election,” he said, adding that PBS were opportunists, seeking a safe space instead of fighting for principles and rights.
“Today you say that you reject Barisan-Umno based on principles, but in the past, you stood in the front line to welcome Barisan when they won elections,” Suhaimi said.
He also advised Bangkuai and his party members to not take "loyalty" as a joke because if they were loyalists, they would not have left and returned repeatedly over the years.
