KOTA KINABALU, Feb 28 — Those who have betrayed the party and gone against the party’s stand should not be allowed to stand in the coming state elections, said Sabah Umno chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin.
Ostensibly referring to Datuk Shahelmey Yahya, a suspended party member and minister, Bung said that Umno Supreme Council should remain firm in its decisions against any member who does not demonstrate loyalty to the party.
“If there are individuals who only seek to review their membership status for the sole purpose of contesting in elections, then Umno must stand firm in ensuring that the party does not need leaders who lack loyalty.
“Loyalty and sincerity in the struggle are the core foundations of Umno, and those who fail to uphold them have no place in this party in the coming elections,” said Bung in a statement today.
His statement comes amidst ongoing uncertainty over the membership status of Shahelmey, who is also Putatan MP and Tanjung Keramat state assemblyman.
In early 2023, Umno withdrew support for the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah government and chief minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. However, Shahelmey and several other Umno members had gone against the party stance and supported Hajiji.
Bung said Shahelmey’s six-year suspension from Umno remained in effect, emphasising that it was not due to his support for Hajiji, but rather his actions that defied the party’s collective mandate.
“Umno is a party that upholds discipline and principles. Any member who betrays the party’s trust and disregards decisions made at the highest level must face the consequences,” said Bung.
“We cannot allow individuals to pick and choose when to align with Umno for personal gain, especially during elections.
“Umno Sabah is clear in its stance — we will not select or support any leader who has betrayed the party to contest under Umno and Barisan Nasional in the upcoming election,” he said.
It was recently reported that Shahelmey said that he was unsure of his membership status as a review at Umno’s headquarters found that his membership in the party remains active.
“However, in Sabah, the statement from the Sabah Umno Chairman states that my membership is suspended. So, we will clarify that later,” he said.
He was asked whether he had submitted an appeal regarding the disciplinary action imposed on him by Umno.
