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UMNO Sabah chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin has insisted that the fall of the Barisan Nasional (BN) state government following the 2018 general election was not due to voter rejection, but rather the result of defections by elected representatives.
In a statement on Wednesday, he said the collapse of BN in Sabah was triggered by assemblymen who abandoned the party after the election, undermining the people’s democratic mandate.
“The historical record clearly shows that the fall of the BN government was not the will of the people, but the consequence of betrayal by several ADUNs who refused to stand by the BN-led federal opposition,” he said.
He added that their actions destabilised Sabah’s political landscape and violated the trust of voters who had democratically elected BN as the majority party.
“This dark episode must serve as a serious lesson to the people of Sabah — not to allow the state's future to be dictated by party-hopping politics,” Bung said.
He described the current political climate as a form of *democratic fatigue*, where public confidence is eroded by inconsistent and unprincipled leadership.
“Modern politics is no longer about who holds power, but about legitimacy and trust. When governments change not because of voters, but because of betrayal, it is not only the administration that collapses, but also institutions, values and the dignity of a state’s political system,” he said.
He argued that political stability stems not from slogans but from leadership integrity and strong institutional frameworks.
“UMNO and BN offer two key components of modern governance — policy consistency and institutional continuity. Development cannot be built on political chaos.
“Investments require stability. Policies need continuity. And the people need confidence,” he asserted.
Bung Moktar said it was time to move past what he called “trial-and-error politics” and refocus on visionary leadership and rational, firm governance. - October 8, 2025