Sabah Polls: Zahid responsible if Sabah CM not from UMNO - Lokman Noor Adam

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi must be held responsible if UMNO representatives failed to become the Sabah Chief Minister which will be announced in the near future.

Laskar Siber Malaysia president, Datuk Lokman Noor Adam stressed that the UMNO president also needs to insist on demanding the issue because the number of seats won by Barisan Nasional (BN) was clearly higher than those held by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).

"Because Ahmad Zahid did not listen, it is very likely that the chief minister's seat would be given to Bersatu.

"All these happened because of Ahmad Zahid's weakness. As a result of his action of not allowing 12 UMNO division heads who did not support him after protesting the appointment of Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) Chairman, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin as the PRN director, these 12 people were dropped as candidates.

"Then, the BN candidates in these 12 constituencies lost even though they have been serving the people since BN lost the GE in 2018," he said in the latest post on his Facebook page.

The Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sabah, Tun Juhar Mahiruddin on Sunday reportedly asked to be given time to decide on who will be appointed as the new chief minister.

The latest development was shared by Bung Moktar after meeting Juhar.

Earlier, Titiwangsa UMNO Youth Chief, Datuk Nazir Hussin Akhtar Hussin was reported in a portal to have said that BN MPs should withdraw their support to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin if a new Sabah Chief Minister is appointed from Bersatu.

He stressed that there was an understanding that BN will nominate the chief minister if the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) wins the Sabah State Election (PRN).

According to him, BN was promised the chief minister's seat in return for releasing several State Assembly (DUN) seats won in the last general election (GE) to State Assemblymen (ADUN) who jumped the party to join Bersatu.

In the meantime, Lokman said this crisis needs to be resolved immediately to ensure that the same thing would not happen again by the next GE.

Earlier, analyst Dr Achmad Dzariean Mohd Nadzri said Ahmad Zahid's statement on the issue of UMNO MPs' support for PKR President Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim caused a tense and uncomfortable atmosphere among party members.

According to the fellow researcher from the Institute of Political Studies Malaysia, Universiti Utara Malaysia, the statement he made also failed to be interpreted and should be seen from a wide angle from the party's subordinates.