Zahid (fifth left) with Umno national and state leaders at the convention.
KOTA KINABALU: Umno Sabah will officially be granted autonomy at the party’s annual general assembly scheduled to be held on November 13.
Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that with autonomy, Umno Sabah will have the responsibility to choose its candidates for future elections.
“And if we get to form the government, Umno Sabah will decide who the chief minister will be,” said Zahid at the opening of Umno Sabah’s annual delegates convention here yesterday.
This, he said is part of Umno’s ‘new deal’ offer to Sabahans, and stressed that only a Sabahan will know what needs to be done in terms of the political landscape in the state.
“And it is the same with the other states so here, Umno Sabah leaders will know what to offer the people,” he opined.
He disclosed that at the general assembly in November, the party’s constitution would be amended to reflect Umno Sabah’s autonomy.
Speaking to reporters later, Zahid pointed out that autonomy for Umno Sabah is the best opportunity for the state leadership to show that they are committed to serve a new deal to rakyat Sabah.
It also shows that Umno Sabah is committed, same as other component parties in giving a new deal when the time comes, he said.
“In today’s convention, the delegates will look into what needs to be done by Umno Sabah and how it can be implemented through the Pusat Daarah Mengundi (PDM) and party branches.
“I am confident that with the national and state leadership, all that are decided by the delegates in today’s convention will be realized,” he said.
In his speech earlier Zahid also said the Malaysia Agreement 1963 would be the basis of Umno’s struggle to win back Sabah.
He was of the opinion that what belonged to Sabah and Sarawak should be returned to both states, adding, “God willing, with a new government in Putrajaya and in Kota Kinabalu, we will fully deliver the promises under MA63 and the 20-Point Agreement.”
Zahid also outlined three other aspects, besides the new deal, to Sabahans as part of the rebranding of the party to win over Sabahans. This involved the potential Umno has in the state, Sabah’s resources and how the party can deliver the needs of the state when it forms the government in future.
On the convention, Zahid said Sabah had been given the honour to hold the first Umno convention in the country as recognition and priority given to Sabah, which was agreed to in the previous Umno assembly.
He said the party’s constitution would be amended to reflect Sabah Umno’s autonomy at the general assembly in November.