00:01A political analyst said that Bung Mokhtar Radin needs to accept the reality that Sabah UMNO is no longer the force it used to be in the East Malaysian state.
00:12University Malaysia Sabah's Lee Kuo-Kyong said Sabah's political landscape has changed significantly with the rise of local parties like Warisan, GRS and Sabah Bursatu, many of which were formed by former UMNO leaders.
00:26He noted that Warisan, which plans to contest the state election solo, poses a bigger threat to GRS than Sabah UMNO due to its strong local identity and broader racial appeal.
00:39While Barisan Nacional and Pakatan Harapan have agreed to an alliance for the state election, talks are ongoing to rope GRS into the pact.
00:47Nonetheless, Sabah BN and GRS leaders have continued to trade barbs.
00:52Bung recently accused local parties of failing to unite Sabahans and dismissed the idea that only local parties can defend Sabah's interests, calling that narrative a broken record.
01:05Lee warned that undermining local party sentiments could backfire as many voters now see local representation as vital and advised Bung to be more cautious with his rhetoric.
01:15Meanwhile, Asmi Hassan of Academy Nusantara said local sentiment remains strong and while UMNO is still influential, BN and PH's edge lies in their federal power and resources.
