PETALING JAYA: Sabah Umno has been hit by a tsunami after a mass exodus of leaders from the party with state liaison committee chairman Hajiji Mohd Noor leading the way.
Those leaving the party were four MPs, two senators, nine assemblymen and bulk of the party’s state liaison committee
The four MPs leaving the party are Kudat MP Datuk Abd Rahim Bakri, Beaufort MP Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun, Libaran MP Datuk Zakaria Mohd Edris and Beluran MP Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee.
They were joined by two senators, Penampang Umno chief Datuk John Ambrose and Pensiangan Umno Datuk chief Ghani Yassin and nine out the 10 Assemblymen.
Only Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Moktar Radin and former chief minister and Sungai Sibuga assemblyman Tan Sri Musa Aman remain as the party’s elected representatives.
Also deciding to leave the party were 21 out of 25 of its division chiefs.
Hajiji said Umno is not what it used to be and the current leadership lacks a clear political direction.
“We are not sure where the party is heading to. There are conflicting accounts of the ‘way forward’, depending who you talk to at the top leadership,“ he said when reading out a press statement announcing the resignations in Kota Kinabalu today.
He said they decided to take the initiative to chart their political future in a new Malaysia after holding discussions among themselves.
He said by leaving Umno they would be free to consider all available options.
Hajiji said looking at the new political realities post GE14, Umno’s relevance in Sabah has become politically untenable.
“The party leaders and members need to move on and chart a new political direction. It takes a lot of courage and hard work to build a new political movement and entity,“ he said.
He said GE14 had radically changed the nation’s political landscape, new political equations unthinkable just a year ago are a reality today.
“Umno Sabah is a pragmatic party. The well-being of Sabahans and the future of Sabah remain their overriding considerations,“ he said.
Hajiji said as they were now party-less, and would remain as independents before deciding which party to join.
He said those leaving the party have pledged their full support to the new Pakatan Harapan Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as well as Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
He said the nation was facing huge economic challenges and this was not the time for political bickering and quarrels that would only complicate the government’s effort to overcome these challenges.
