Is Zahid’s proposal that Sabah Umno leaders be given government posts a move to placate Sabah Umno?

Zainal Epi, Malay Mail Online

(Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s letter to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin asking for government positions be given to four Sabah Umno leaders has been the talk of Umno.

This came about because Sabah Umno leaders apparently left the party’s WhatsApp groups for division heads and information chiefs.

The question of course is whether the proposal was an afterthought or does Umno feel that Sabah Umno has to be represented in the federal Cabinet?

Apparently many Umno leaders dare not discuss this openly as nobody wants to disrupt the smooth relationship between the state and peninsula right now.

The fact that the Umno president wrote a letter to Muhyiddin recommending positions for Sabah Umno leaders seems to signal that Zahid sees Sabah Umno playing an important role bolstering Umno’s presence in the state.

However, some leaders interpret Zahid’s action as a desperate one to win over Sabah Umno’s support for his position as party president when party elections are held next year.

Zahid’s proposal, made after Muhyiddin has already picked his Cabinet, looks like Zahid is under pressure to placate Sabah Umno and not let Sabah Umno be left out of mainstream politics.

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal’s Warisan, the ruling party in the state, has no representation at federal level but it supports Muhyiddin’s government.

Sabah Umno has definitely been feeling left out and side-lined in recent months and this has led to a souring of the relationship with Zahid.

Should Zahid be eligible to defend his position in the party next year — pending his cases in court — he will need Sabah’s votes.

Meanwhile Muhyiddin is not expected to respond to Zahid’s letter as he has to be mindful of Warisan’s feelings.

After all the relationship between Muhyiddin and Shafie is said to be a close one as both were expelled on the same day from Umno back in 2016.