Sabah UMNO Chief, Bung Moktar Radin, has firmly stated that his party will not cooperate with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) in the upcoming state election, expected to take place at the end of this year.
He also denied receiving any proposal from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim regarding a potential alliance with GRS, dismissing such speculation as baseless.
“I have never heard of any directive to collaborate with GRS. From the beginning, Sabah UMNO has made its stance clear – rejection remains rejection! We will not work with them,” he said.
Bung also criticized the GRS administration, calling it “the most ineffective government” in Sabah’s history.
According to reports, Anwar allegedly proposed an alliance between UMNO, GRS, and Pakatan Harapan (PH) to UMNO President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and several Sabah UMNO leaders during a meeting earlier this year.
The proposal suggested an equal distribution of the 73 state assembly seats among BN, GRS, and PH, with each coalition contesting approximately 24 seats.
However, Bung reportedly opposed the idea, believing such a collaboration would only weaken Sabah UMNO.
“Under the GRS government, our positions were removed, allocations were not given, and now, all of a sudden, we are expected to work with them? That makes no sense,” the Kinabatangan MP asserted.
Sources claim that while Zahid Hamidi and Sabah UMNO Deputy Chief Abdul Rahman Dahlan responded positively to the proposal, Bung Moktar remained firm in rejecting any electoral pact with GRS.
“I am not a coward like Zahid. Sabah UMNO has dignity, and we will not bow to any pressure,” he declared.