Another analyst says Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin’s talk of sincerity was ‘ironic’ given his role in attempting to topple chief minister Hajiji Noor in 2023.
00:00Sabah UMNO's willingness to work with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah ahead of the state election has been described as a calculated response to evolving political dynamics.
00:11Analysts said this could be a signal of Barca National's waning influence in the state.
00:17On Tuesday, Sabah UMNO chief Bung Mokhtar Radin said his party was open to working with GRS for the upcoming polls, but only if the ruling coalition shows sincerity in seat negotiations.
00:28Bung's latest remarks differ from his stance earlier this month when he reportedly said that Sabah UMNO would only consider cooperation after the election results were known.
00:38University of Malaysia Sabah's Bilchir Bala said the shift in position may be a pragmatic response to the changing electoral landscape in the state where GRS has emerged as the dominant force.
00:49He also said any future partnership between the two blocs was likely to be transactional, driven more by electoral calculations than ideological alignment or mutual trust.
