The Sabah election will signal the beginning of the end of Bersatu in the state, says Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi.
Puad said Bersatu is facing the consequences of being a party born out of deception.
“The Sabah polls will mark the beginning of the end for Bersatu (in the state). Its numbers are growing smaller by the day, a consequence of being a party born out of deceit,” he said in a Facebook post.
He referred to Muhyiddin Yassin’s speech during Bersatu’s roadshow in Sabah, where the party president claimed that Gabungan Rakyat Sabah chairman Hajiji Noor had “blatantly lied to me (Muhyiddin)”.
Muhyiddin, who is the Perikatan Nasional chairman, said the coalition rejected any political cooperation with GRS in the state election, citing what he described as a betrayal by GRS after its leaders, then members of Bersatu, left the party in November 2022 following the 15th general election.
Puad said Muhyiddin had no right to be angry. He pointed out that Bersatu was formed when Umno‘s nine assemblymen, four MPs, two senators and 21 division chiefs jumped ship to join the party.
“So why the surprise when Bersatu’s representatives later left the party to form GRS?” he said.
He said Bersatu began to flounder when Hajiji started to “build his own ship”.
“Bersatu was left adrift, lacking fresh talent, grassroots machinery, and strong local figures,” he said.
In contrast, Sabah Umno traced its roots to 1991 when then Usno president Mustapha Datu Harun, along with his deputies, vice-presidents, 48 division leaders and 50,000 members, submitted their membership applications to join Umno.
“The late Mustapha said, ‘We are moving from a small boat to a big ship’,” he said, adding that Sabah Umno’s clean slate was marked by Mustapha’s victory in the Usukan by-election in May 1991.
In January, PN deputy chairman Hamzah Zainudin said PN may contest at least 18 of the 73 seats in the Sabah election, which must be held this year. The state assembly’s term expires in November, but it may be dissolved sooner.
PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man confirmed in May that PAS would contest at least six seats under the PN banner.
