Former UMNO vice president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal's move to lead a new party by taking over an existing Sabah political party is not a threat to UMNO and Barisan Nasional, said BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

He said such a situation in which a former leader forms a new party was not alien to BN and UMNO.

"I believed as long as we (UMNO and BN) stay united and are loyal to the UMNO president and BN chairman (Datuk Seri Najib Razak), we won't have to worry.

"I bid him best of luck," he told reporters after opening Pasir Salak UMNO delegates meeting, here, Sunday.

READ: Shafie Apdal to take over existing Sabah party

Earlier, in his speech, Tengku Adnan said UMNO which was established in 1949 was a party with structure, set up to achieve independence and since then had faced various challenges and obstacles due to the differences in opinion among members.

"Not only once we were betrayed, not only once a leader defected and formed a new party, but many times. We even have to shoulder the problems left by previous leaders," he said.

Thus, he urged all members to maintain the BN spirit which was the backbone of the party's strength.

"For instance, when UMNO was weak during the 1999 General Election, Chinese and Indian votes became the saviour. That is why we need to retain the BN spirit," he added. -- Bernama