Sabah Umno MPs staying put for now

KOTA KINABALU: A watch on the remaining six Sabah Umno MPs is on, as senior leader Datuk Seri Anifah Aman quit the party amid moves by former Sabah Barisan Nasional leaders to realign themselves.

Anifah’s abrupt departure yesterday came as no surprise as party members claimed he had been attempting to talk to state Umno leaders about forming a new party since it lost its 24-year grip on Sabah.

Sabah Umno won seven parliamentary seats in the 14th General Election.

Datuk Bung Moktar Radin, who is state Umno deputy chairman and Kinabatangan MP, said the rest of them would stay with Umno for now.

He added that he was not sure if Yamani Hafez Musa would follow his uncle Anifah and become an independent. Yamani has yet to take his oath as MP.

Asked about Tan Sri Musa Aman, Bung Moktar said Musa was likely to remain and wait for the outcome of his suit over his removal as chief minister on May 12. The High Court is expected to decide on Oct 26.

When contacted yesterday, Anifah said he quit Umno in the interest of Sabah rights.

The former foreign minister said he would remain neutral and support Pakatan Harapan’s move to restore Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the federation.

“I am doing it for Sabah. I know that if I stay in Umno, I will be subjected to party whip to vote against any Bill the current government tables to restore our rights.

“I am ready to provide Pakatan with the two-thirds needed for the restoration of Sabah rights,” Anifah, the Kimanis MP, said.

Talk has it that Sabah Umno, led by Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor, is keen to form a new local-based party that will team up with Parti Bersatu Sabah and Sabah STAR under a new coalition Gabungan Bersatu Sabah.

However, most Umno leaders want the Umno central leadership to pull out from Sabah to avoid their vacuum being filled by others and create another opposition force in the state.

Sabah Umno, which won 17 state seats, has already lost seven assemblymen.

In Petaling Jaya, an Umno source claimed that up to 20 MPs would exit the party.

“It could happen within the next few days. “The plan must be completed before the Umno general assembly on Sept 30 and to send a message to Umno members that the party is no longer relevant,” said the source.

On Tuesday, Jeli MP Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed quit the party.

After May 9, Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (Masjid Tanah), Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang) and Datuk Noor Azmi Ghazali (Bagan Serai) left Umno.