KUALA LUMPUR — Barisan Nasional (BN) has launched a new volunteer squad in Sabah aimed at helping disaster victims across the state, with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi pledging the initiative will serve all communities regardless of political ties.
The squad, which had already been on the ground assisting flood-hit households in recent days, was formally launched at the Sabah UMNO Building this afternoon. Four water tankers have been deployed to clean affected homes.
“Today, I am officially launching the squad, which will be registered and mobilised across all 25 parliamentary constituencies in Sabah,” said the BN chairman, Bernama reported.
He added that the unit will work in tandem with the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), with funding to be allocated according to the scale of disasters and needs on the ground.
“The squad is open to everyone, not just BN members. In our efforts to assist the victims, we are committed to helping everyone regardless of political affiliation. Anyone can join this volunteer squad,” he told reporters.
Zahid also addressed speculation over BN’s plans for the upcoming Sabah state election, saying the coalition would not be contesting all 73 seats.
“We will field candidates in winnable seats, and we will announce the details once everything is finalised. We will also collaborate with the third force in Sabah to ensure these seats favour BN,” he said.
He added that cooperation with Pakatan Harapan (PH) has been finalised, with no overlapping candidacies expected.
“However, everything will be confirmed after the dissolution of the assembly,” Zahid said. — September 20, 2025