Umno leaders keep mum on Sabah situation

Umno leaders and delegates attending the party’s general assembly are shying away from commenting on Sabah’s political development.

Party vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said he will wait for an explanation from party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on the situation.

“Let’s listen to the president first since we do not know what the ramifications are,” he said at the World Trade Centre, here, when asked to comment on the state’s political developments after Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin was dropped from the new Sabah cabinet lineup.

Bung Moktar was replaced by Tanjung Keramat assemblyman Datuk Shahelmey Yahya, who is among five Sabah Umno lawmakers maintaining their support for Gabungan Rakyat Sabah chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor as the state’s chief minister.

Shahelmey is now the deputy chief minister and works minister — two portfolios previously held by Bung Moktar.

“We only learnt about a view (one side of the story) on what happened in Sabah.

“It all happened too fast, so I would like to listen to what the president has to say,” said Khaled.

Umno supreme council member Isham Jalil refused to comment when asked if the new Sabah cabinet line-up was a unity government.

“I want to focus on this thing first (the special briefing by Zahid with 3,000 party delegates),” he said.

Similarly, former Selangor Umno liaison committee chairman Tan Sri Noh Omar kept mum when asked about Sabah’s unfolding political developments.

“How am I supposed to know since it involves Sabah and I am in Selangor? I do not want to comment,” he said.