KOTA KINABALU: Two Sabah Umno leaders - Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan - are putting aside their political differences and joining forces to steer the party back to helming the government.
Their target is to get Sabah Umno back on track to ensure Barisan wins the state government in the next state election due by September 2025.
Both Bung as Sabah Umno chairman and Abdul Rahman as his deputy made it clear to reporters that they were working as a team and dispelled any issue of political differences between them.
Bung said they would make a good combination as they have experience at the state and national level for many years.
"His appointment as Sabah Umno deputy chairman is new but Abdul Rahman has been a long-time party man with lots of experience at the state and national level and this combination will give us the right expertise for Sabah Umno to strengthen itself," Bung told reporters after the new Sabah Umno committee met and took their pledges Sunday (April 9) at the state Umno headquarters here.
Bung, who was former deputy chief minister and is Kinabatangan MP, said that it was the will of God for him and Abdul Rahman to work together for the party.
Abdul Rahman said that he had no personal differences with Bung and the more important issue was to ensure the party moves forward.
"I have no personal problems with Bung, who is our longest-serving MP. We all want to serve the party. We want Umno to become a core component of the state government.
"We will work together," said Abdul Rahman, who is a former federal minister.
He took over the Sabah Umno deputy position from Karambunai assemblyman Datuk Yakuba Khan who was appointed to lead the party's Sabah unity government secretariat.
It is no secret that Bung and Abdul Rahman have never seen "eye to eye" on many of the party issues previously.
Bung took over Sabah Umno in 2019 after Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor led the Umno exodus in December 2018.
Abdul Rahman had previously tried to stop Bung from leading Barisan in the September 2020 state election due to his ongoing court cases.
Bung also announced that Usukan assemblyman Datuk Seri Mohd Salleh Tun Said was retained as Sabah Umno treasurer, and Sukau assemblyman Datuk Jafry Ariffin as secretary.
Bung also said that they created several special bureaus with focus on politics, membership, election, social media/information, election as well as finance and investments.
"We need to revolutionise our information and social media reach, if not, we will be left out," Bung said, adding that the current team was a right mix for the party to prepare and win the state polls.
