Sabah election: Bung Moktar wants to focus on mobilising party machinery

Declining to comment on criticisms levelled against him over his appointment as Barisan Nasional (BN) election machinery head, Bung Moktar said he only wanted to ensure that all preparations for the election would go on smoothly.

"I'm doing work to ensure the party machinery is mobilised effectively...that is my priority for the state election," he said when contacted by Bernama here today.

Last night, several Sabah UMNO leaders voiced their disagreement with the appointment of Bung Moktar as the coalition's machinery head for the state election as announced by BN chairman cum UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at a press conference at the Parliament Building earlier.

UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan said putting someone who is facing charges in court as the 'war general' in the state election was a suicidal move for the party.

On May 3 last year, Bung Moktar Radin was charged with three counts of receiving bribes totalling RM2.8 million for getting the approval for Felcra Berhad to invest RM150 million in unit trust with Public Mutual Berhad, four years ago.

Meanwhile, Tawau UMNO Division Membership and Cadre Secretariat chairman Mohd Zaki Harry Susanto said he believed that Bung Moktar's appointment was made based on his capacity as the Sabah BN chairman and state UMNO Liaison Committee chairman.

"All parties should respect the decision. It also proves that Sabah UMNO has been given the autonomy," he told Bernama.

Mohd Zaki added based on the principle of law, anyone charged with any offence is considered innocent until proven guilty in court.