Penyatuan politik Melayu mungkin tiada tarikan di Sabah, Sarawak, kata Salleh

Former Sabah Chief Minister Salleh Said Keruak stated that a Malaysian unity politics involving Umno and PAS might have electoral appeal in Peninsular Malaysia, but the reality of politics in Sabah and Sarawak is different. The former Sabah chief minister explained that any cooperation between Umno and PAS that might succeed in the Peninsula may not necessarily be suitable for application in Sabah.

He noted that such cooperation could have a negative impact if viewed as a politics that overly centralizes the Peninsula. Sabah 2025 data clearly illustrates this point; the combined Sabah Public (GRS) won 29 out of 73 seats, while the Heritage Party secured 25 seats. Altogether, the two Sabah-based political forces controlled 54 seats - nearly three-quarters of the Parliament.

Meanwhile, the Barisan Nasional (BN) won only six seats, the Perikatan Nasional (PN) one seat, and the Pakatan Harapan (PH) suffered a significant decline, winning only one out of 20 contested seats. This demonstrates that nationalist sentiment, autonomy, development, and Sabah's rights are becoming increasingly important in determining voter choices, he said in a Facebook post.

Salleh also pointed out that Sarawak showcased a clearer picture through the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) strengthening its position through a Sarawak-centric political approach, while Umno failed to make an impact in the state. According to him, Umno Sabah should be seen as a national party understanding Sabah's reality and willing to cooperate with local parties, particularly the GRS.

The formula should be clear: political stability, development, Sabah's rights, and the interests of Sabahans. We are one nation, but it does not necessarily require the same political formula and electoral choice in every state, he concluded. Previous Umno and PAS cooperation that successfully brought BN and PN victories in PRN Johor and Negeri Sembilan has shown that political cooperation among Umno and PAS could continue in the upcoming election, including PRU 16.