SANDAKAN – Sabah Umno deputy chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan has refuted claims that his party is a “foreign” entity imposing itself on the state.
Rahman said that Umno’s expansion into Sabah in 1992 was a result of various factors, and Sabahans, particularly the Muslim Bumiputera, willingly opted for the party due to its larger scale compared to local alternatives.
“I think there have been too many misconceptions and wrong views about Sabah Umno, which is said to be a ‘foreign party’ in Sabah. Umno never pointed a gun to people’s heads to support Umno.
“The Muslim Bumiputera in Sabah at the time had chosen Umno because Umno was a bigger party, and they thought that existing local parties like Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) could not fight for their interests. It was as simple as that,” he said when met by reporters at the Sabah Umno Tour – Gerak17 at Batu Sapi here, today.
Responding to Sabah STAR president Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan’s recent claims in the Dewan Rakyat alleging that Sabah lost autonomy when parties from the peninsula dominated state and parliamentary seats, Rahman refuted the notion of “colonialism” and explained Umno’s entry into Sabah’s political landscape.
“It was a betrayal by PBS. So, Umno decided to spread its wings into Sabah. Among the masterminds of the betrayal (by PBS) was Jeffrey Kitingan. Everyone knows this. Yet, he was so loud at Parliament recently, calling Umno a foreign party, as if Umno came to Sabah to colonise the state.
“At the time (1990s), the Muslim Bumiputera in Sabah, which stood at 60% of the state population, were divided into three parties – Usno, Berjaya and PBS.
“Hence, Umno came to Sabah intending to unite all Muslim Bumiputera under one party, and we are unapologetic of this (intention),” he said.
Addressing accusations against Sabah Umno, Rahman felt the need to remind the public of the party’s history in the state.
“For the Muslim Bumiputera in Sabah, Umno is not a Malayan party but a party for them. Umno wouldn’t have governed Sabah for decades without their support. Jeffrey Kitingan falsely portrays Umno as forced upon the Muslims in Sabah, which is incorrect.
“Umno is in Sabah to advocate for the interests of the Muslim Bumiputera without neglecting the rights of non-Muslims and non-Bumiputera,” he added. – March 8, 2024