Former Sabah chief minister Salleh Said Keruak has cautioned against an “automatic” Umno-PAS pact in Sabah simply because the two parties are working together in Peninsular Malaysia.
Salleh said Sabah Umno should instead position itself as a party that understands the state’s political landscape and the concerns of its people by working closely with local parties, particularly chief minister Hajiji Noor’s Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
The Sabah Umno treasurer said cooperation with a local partner such as GRS offered a straightforward formula for maintaining political stability, promoting Sabah’s development and safeguarding the state’s rights.
Sabah politics different from Malaya
While the narrative of Malay political unity through an Umno-PAS alliance may appeal to voters in the peninsula, Salleh said Sabah’s political environment was markedly different.
He pointed to the outcome of the Sabah state election in November, in which GRS won 29 seats while Warisan secured 25.
“GRS and Warisan therefore accounted for 54 of the 73 elected seats in the state assembly, nearly three-quarters. Another five seats were won by independent candidates who subsequently supported the formation of the GRS-led government.
“Barisan Nasional won only six seats, while Perikatan Nasional secured one. Pakatan Harapan also suffered a major setback, winning only one of the 20 seats it contested,” he said in a Facebook post.
Sabah voters focused on state interests
Salleh said the election results showed that Sabah voters were increasingly influenced by issues involving state interests, autonomy, development and Sabah rights.
“The message is clear: Sabah voters are increasingly influenced by state interests, autonomy, development, and Sabah rights.
“Therefore, any Umno-PAS understanding that works in Malaya should not automatically be applied to Sabah. It could backfire if perceived as a Malaya-centric political arrangement,” he said.
Salleh’s remarks came after BN and PN entered into an electoral pact for the Negeri Sembilan polls, with BN winning 18 of the 36 seats and PN securing seven, giving the alliance a two-thirds majority in the state legislature.
The strong victory has already prompted calls for the alliance to be expanded to future elections, including the next general election.
