Political analyst Romzi Ationg of Universiti Malaysia Sabah said there is a prevailing desire among voters for Sabah to be led by local parties and leaders, and Umno risks alienating the voters if it maintains its dismissive stance.
“Umno risks being accused of looking down on this increasingly influential opinion here in Sabah. They will have difficulties gaining seats if they’re going to keep up such an attitude,” he told FMT.
Romzi said Umno must adjust its approach and “dance along with the sentiment at the moment”, aligning with the political realities on the ground.
“In Sabah, everybody’s interested in making sure Sabah will be led by a local party. They really want to make sure that Sabah is being controlled by Sabahans, without ‘Malayan parties’ involved,” he said.
Earlier, Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin had described “Sabah for Sabahans” as being “political bait”, and questioned the sincerity of parties that claim to champion Sabah’s rights yet remain divided among themselves.
“If they are truly fighting for Sabah’s rights, why do so many local parties exist, but not one of them can unite?” he asked.
Umno president and Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has also rejected the slogan, while saying that Sabah Umno has been given autonomy to truly be for Sabah, and not be seen as a “Malayan party”.
However, Romzi said that while Sabah Umno portrays itself as being autonomous, the perception remains that it still answers to federal leaders.
Fellow UMS political analyst Syahruddin Awang Ahmad also said Sabah Umno’s effort to position itself as a local party by claiming autonomy may backfire if voters see it as mere political manoeuvring.
He said even if Sabah Umno enjoys some flexibility in candidate selection, the state party and BN would remain aligned with the party’s national leadership.
Syahruddin also pointed to the movement of independent candidates dubbed “Black Wave”, saying it is indicative of a new trend in Sabah politics.
“It’s a coordinated movement of independents who pledge to contest under a collective banner. If party leaders are not nominated again, they are likely to contest as independents, being famous faces who still have strong grassroots support,” he warned.
Syahruddin said this reflects the deeper shift in Sabah politics. “People vote for individuals, not for parties. Parties are just platforms or tickets to contest,” he said.
