Kota Kinabalu: Umno’s future in Sabah depends on whether it can accept its reduced role as a supporting player behind local party coalitions, said former Chief Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak.
In a statement, Salleh said Umno entered Sabah in 1991 at the invitation of the late Tun Mustapha Harun, the then President of United Sabah National Organisation (Usno), to consolidate Bumiputera Muslim support.
However, he said political support among Bumiputera communities in Sabah is now fragmented across multiple blocs.
“Sabah Umno no longer plays a dominant role but functions as a complementary force, supporting a state government led and anchored by local party coalitions,” the Sabah Umno Treasurer said.
“Its future depends on accepting this reality and working collaboratively to strengthen unity, advance Sabah’s development, and ensure the implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963.”
Previously, Salleh said Umno must review its role in Sabah, adding that the party must move forward with decisions based on today’s political reality.
At the polls held on Nov 29 last year, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Warisan secured the largest number of seats, while Barisan Nasional only managed six.
PKR lost two traditional seats while DAP was wiped out.
The election resulted in a hung assembly as no coalition obtained the 37-seat majority. GRS emerged as the dominant bloc and led post-election negotiations
