Sabah Umno may cease if not granted total autonomy
KUALA LUMPUR: Sabah Umno Wanita wing has reminded the party’s central leadership that Sabah Umno may cease if it is not granted total autonomy.
Its information chief Datuk Redonah Bahanda said Sabah Umno needs to be able to stand on its own without politically detaching itself from Umno central.
The constitution might need to be amended, she said, adding that is however a small matter if compared to the much larger national political agenda for the future sake of the country and race.
“Sabah Umno Wanita wing welcomed the smart decision made by our central leadership. Umno will stay in Sabah. Sabah Umno will be given an autonomy power to decide on policies based on the core struggles of our party in Sabah without being tied to the decisions made at the central level.
“We pray there will be important announcement made during tomorrow’s General Assembly ,” she said when debating on the motion on politics during the Wanita Umno movement’s assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre here Saturday.
Redonah, who is also Kota Marudu Umno Wanita Chief, said Sabah is very unique politically, as unique as the government which is temporarily in power in Sabah, that is the Warisan-Pakatan Harapan-UPKO Government, but UPKO has no representative at the Federal level.
“Sabah Wanita also wants to remind that any political collaboration with any political parties, it must take into account of Sabah Umno interests. Do not sideline Sabah Umno in all future development plans,” she said.
“Need to bd reminded that Umno now is an opposition party. In Sabah’s political history, all those parties that had lost were unable to stand back on their own feet and returm to power.”
The women in Sabah Umno will continue to stay with Umno so long as the party is formulated in development structure and plan that capable of creating political and economically stability and prosperity in the country, said Redonah.
“Umno is the best party in Sabah in all aspects. Also in terms of the number of members and its organisational system. But, when we look at the 14th General Election (GE14), obviously having great number of members and even great number of branches as well as great support in terms of modal and programmes for the people, were not able to help BN/Umno win. This needs to be studied thoroughly and fairly,” she said.
Sabah Wanita also demanded that the Parti Warisan Sabah Government give appropriate consideration and place education as core agenda in the human development.
Redonah said that although it is a requirement that women can marry as early as 14 years, the socio-culture of the people in the Interior of Sabah need to be taken into account.
“But to let it be implemented as such requirement will deprive the group (young women) of their rights to acquire education and have a perfect life..
“A prolonged life in poverty will comtinue to happen due to limitation on education for self progression and carrier building. We understand that it is important to prioritise religion. But Islam never troubles its followers. Is our thinking nowadays no longer go along with the current changes? The world continues progressing, we do not want our children to be deprived just for the sake of underage marriage,” she stressed.
She said Sabah Wanita asked that the Warisan-led Government to think rasionally, by fulfilling its sweet promises which were still unfilled.
Apart from that, Redonah also touched on the opposition bloc Gabungan Bersatu Sabah (GBS) which Sabah UMNO Wanita wing hoped the setting up of GBS was pragmatic and a strategic step.