United Malays National Organisation of Sabah (Malay: Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Bersatu Sabah), also abbreviated as Sabah UMNO, is a branch of the United Malays National Organisation in Sabah, Malaysia. Sabah UMNO supported and was part of the federal government under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Sabah UMNO also had one elected representatives holding a deputy ministerial positions respectively in the Anwar Ibrahim cabinet.[1] This branch of UMNO was an independently-built branch in 2018 until 2021, the branch merged back to BN Central Leadership after suffering a split between Ketua Wanita UMNO cawangan Kota Kinabalu and the rebel group between Pemuda UMNO Tuaran and Sipitang.
History
Establishment of the Sabah UMNO branch
After the 1990 state election when BERJAYA themselves were ousted by United Sabah Party (PBS), USNO Chairman Mustapha Harun returned to team-up with BERJAYA Chairman Harris Salleh in a merger of USNO and BERJAYA for his long-envisaged initiative to create the Sabah chapter of peninsula-based United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) with Mustapha himself became its first chief of UMNO Sabah.[2] In 1996, USNO was finally de-registered by the federal Registrar of Societies (RoS). Six of its legislators joined the Sabah UMNO while the rest joined the opposition PBS.[3]
Mass resignations of BN members and Sabah UMNO leadership from the party
After the announcement, media reports suggested that Sabah UMNO had collapsed or been dissolved. However, UMNO President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi denied the suggestion and Sabah UMNO will not be disbanded due to the group's actions. He also stressed that Sabah UMNO would remain to exist and its leadership would be restructured by remaining members. On 12 December 2018 Member of Parliament for Kinabatangan, Bung Moktar Radin, was appointed as the new Sabah UMNO Chairman to replace Hajiji Mohd Noor. For other positions, Sepanggar Division UMNO Chief, Yakub Khan was appointed as UMNO Sabah Deputy Chairman, Kinabatangan Division UMNO Deputy Chief, Jafry Ariffin as UMNO Sabah Secretary and Tenom UMNO Division Chief, Raime Unggi as State UMNO Information Chief.[5]
As of 6 February, there are no changes in the status quo regarding the government of Sabah, following the decision of 5 UMNO MLAs (Shahelmey Yahya (Tanjung Keramat), Jasnih Daya (Pantai Dalit), Yusof Yacob (Sindumin), James Ratib (Sugut) and Mohd Arsad Bistari (Tempasuk)) who publicly supported Hajiji despite Bung's decision, and reshuffle of the state cabinet on 11 January as a result.[8]
On 12 February 2023, Barisan Nasional Secretary General, Zambry Abdul Kadir said Barisan Nasional decided to support the Sabah Government led by Hajiji Noor as Sabah Chief Minister.[9]
On 21 February 2023, Yusof Yacob, along with other 8 MLAs support Hajiji. At the same time, he, along with James, Jasnih, Arsad, Hamid Awang, Mohammad Mohamarin, Ben Chong Chen Bin and Norazlinah Arif joined Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah or Sabah People's Ideas' Party (GAGASAN).[10]
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