KOTA KINABALU, March 18 — Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) will not contest the 17th state election alone, according to its chairman, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin.

He said Sabah Umno has reviewed the seats it is interested in and will present the list to any party willing to collaborate with them.

“This election is not just about who our allies are as the people will be looking at the party first, and the candidate second. These are the factors we’re highlighting to bring about change for the people.

“We have conducted our review and identified the seats, but we haven’t yet decided who we will form alliances with. However, I want to make it clear that Umno will not collaborate with any party that has betrayed us,” said Bung Moktar who is also the Sabah Umno chairman.

He told reporters this at the iftar for Umno Zone 2 comprising Sepanggar, Kota Kinabalu, Putatan and Penampang divisions at Nexus Karambunai yesterday.

He added that they respect any party that chooses to contest solo in the coming state election however, he opined that they will need to prove their capabilities in this election because anything can happen.

“We will ensure that Umno is always on a solid platform. We are fully prepared, in every aspect, for this election because Umno wants Barisan Nasional to remain the dominant party in any coalition,” he said.

Bung Moktar also disclosed that seats allocation has not been discussed by Sabah BN members as they are waiting for the decision from the coalition’s central leadership.

“This is because the PBRS president, the Umno president, and the leaders of the four coalition parties will discuss this matter. Let them have their meeting first. Usually, we’ll wait for a cue from the central BN leadership before giving our input or countering their proposals.

“BN Sabah has autonomy, but the reality is that the party presidents will discuss matters first and then propose them to the state BN and Umno leadership for consideration. If the decision favours BN’s victory, we’ll agree; if not, we’ll counter their proposals,” he stressed.

On Sabah Umno’s candidates, Bung Moktar said that so far two were announced, Datuk Seri Salleh Said for Usukan and Jeffrey Nor for Tanjung Keramat, adding that about 30 per cent of the party’s incumbents are expected to be retained to defend their seats in the coming state election.

He also stressed that all the candidates must be winnable adding “because we don’t want to lose a single seat we contest in.”

When asked about the possible scenario where Umno has to work with a party that ‘betrayed it’ to form the government, Bung Moktar replied, “Normally, after an election, anything can happen. Sometimes what seems impossible becomes possible, and vice versa. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”

As for whether he would defend his Lamag seat, Bung Moktar simply said, “InsyaAllah. If the Ketua Panglima does not contest, that wouldn’t be right.”

Bung Moktar reaffirmed Sabah Umno’s mission to uplift Sabah and drive the state towards prosperity, focusing on economic revival and increased revenue generation.

Umno, he said, will continue to develop the state, revive Sabah’s economy, and increase its economic revenue.

That, among other things, is Sabah Umno’s objective.

“In my speech, I also urged all party machinery to use this Ramadan month as a platform to connect with all members of the community, not just Umno members but also voters who are members of any NGOs, as well as influential leaders in their respective areas.

“We must reach out to them so they understand that this new leadership of Umno Sabah is stepping into a new era to ensure that the future state government can be restructured with one goal in mind … to develop Sabah, lift it out of poverty, and ensure that the eight poorest and most underdeveloped districts can be removed from the national poverty statistics,” he said.

Among other things, Sabah Umno’s mission is to reclaim the current state government, Bung Moktar said, adding that when they talk about the failure of the state government, many government leaders feel offended.

“But the reality is just that. This is not slander, rhetoric or fabrication, they have indeed failed. They failed to address the water crisis, they failed to address the electricity crisis, and they failed to fix the roads, where the conditions are so poor that every day, 10 to 20 car owners complain about burst tires and various damages, resulting in losses for road users.

“That is why I believe the rise of Umno Sabah in this upcoming 17th state election is highly anticipated. We guarantee that Umno Sabah will continue to develop the state, revive Sabah’s economy, and increase its economic revenue,” he said. — The Borneo Post