Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin defended the “Langkah Kinabalu,” bid to topple the GRS State Government with the help of Parti Warisan in 2023 as a dignified response to “the failures of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) leadership” and not “an act of betrayal”.
He said Barisan Nasional’s decision not to work with GRS in the coming State election reflects Umno central leadership’s respect for Sabah Umno’s autonomy.
“Langkah Kinabalu is not betrayal but a dignified effort after seeing (CM) Hajiji Noor’s leadership fail, fragile and lacking integrity,” he said in a statement.
Bung also accused Hajiji Noor of deceiving Umno Sabah when forming the State Cabinet.
“The real betrayal began on the day the Cabinet was sworn in when Hajiji tricked me by changing the Cabinet post we had agreed without Sabah Umno’s knowledge,” he said.
He is confident that BN would reclaim Sebatik in the election and stressed that BN Sabah would “not be part of political manoeuvring, deceit, or power grabs.”In January 2023, several Sabah Barisan Nasional assemblymen, led by Bung, withdrew their support for Hajiji in what became known as “Langkah Kinabalu.” The attempt failed after Hajiji secured the backing of Pakatan Harapan assemblymen and a mutiny by six Sabah Umno assemblymen who felt Hajiji and not Bung made a better Chief Minister, allowing the latter’s administration to remain in power.
