Umno-BN perlu ikut rentak sentimen Sabah

UMNO wajar berhati-hati dan tidak mengetepikan slogan ‘Sabah for Sabahan’, kata dua penganalisis politik, memandangkan sentimen itu tulen dan semakin berkembang di seluruh negeri berkenaan.

Penganalisis politik Romzi Ationg dari Universiti Malaysia Sabah berkata, pengundi amat mengkehendaki Sabah dipimpin parti dan pemimpin tempatan, seterusnya Umno berisiko terasing daripada pengundi jika terus kekal bersikap tidak endah.

“Umno berisiko dituduh memandang rendah terhadap pandangan yang semakin berpengaruh di Sabah ini. Mereka akan menghadapi kesukaran mendapat kerusi jika meneruskan sikap berkenaan,” katanya kepada FMT.

Romzi berkata, Umno mesti menyesuaikan pendekatannya dan mengorak langkah seiring sentimen kini, serta selaras dengan realiti politik di lapangan.

“Di Sabah, semua orang berminat untuk memastikan Sabah akan dipimpin parti tempatan. Mereka benar-benar mahu memastikan Sabah dikawal oleh orang Sabah, tanpa pembabitan ‘parti Malaya’,” katanya.

Terdahulu, Ketua Umno Sabah Bung Moktar Radin menyifatkan ‘Sabah for Sabahans’ sebagai ‘umpan politik’ dan mempertikaikan keikhlasan parti yang mendakwa memperjuangkan hak Sabah tetapi masih tidak mampu bersatu sesama mereka.

Presiden Umno yang juga Pengerusi Barisan Nasional (BN) Zahid Hamidi turut menolak slogan itu, dan mengatakan Umno Sabah telah diberi kuasa autonomi dan tidak dilihat sebagai ‘parti Malaya.’

Bagaimanapun, Romzi berkata walaupun Umno Sabah memberi gambaran ia berautonomi, tetapi masih kekal persepsi bahawa ia masih perlu mematuhi pemimpin di peringkat persekutuan.

Sementara itu rakan penganalisis politiknya di UMS Syahruddin Awang Ahmad berpendapat usaha Umno Sabah untuk meletakkan kedudukan sebagai parti tempatan dengan mendakwa memiliki autonomi mungkin memakan diri jika pengundi melihatnya sebagai sekadar muslihat politik.

Menurutnya, sekalipun Umno Sabah menikmati fleksibiliti dari segi pemilihan calon, parti negeri dan BN akan terus seiring dengan kepimpinan parti di peringkat kebangsaan.

Syahruddin turut memetik pergerakan calon bebas yang digelar ‘Gelombang Hitam’, sebagai menunjukkan trend baharu dalam politik Sabah.

“Ia pergerakan selaras calon bebas yang berikrar bertanding di bawah satu payung kolektif. Jika pemimpin parti tidak dicalonkan semula, mereka berkemungkinan bertanding sebagai calon bebas, sebagai wajah terkenal yang masih mendapat sokongan kuat akar umbi,” katanya.

Syahruddin berkata, ini membayangkan peralihan lebih mendalam, dalam arena politik Sabah.

“Orang mengundi untuk individu, bukan parti. Parti sekadar platform atau tiket untuk bertanding,” katanya.

 

Umno must dance along with Sabahan sentiment

UMNO-BN should tread carefully and not be dismissive of the “Sabah for Sabahans” slogan, say two political analysts, as the sentiment is genuine and growing across the state.

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.

 

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