TANJUNG MALIM, Aug 21 ― Sabah Umno should not be divided before contesting the state election (PRN) this September, said Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

He said that the question of who will lead the Sabah PRN machinery is not important because the main goal is to win.

"Don’t split up. If it (the party) splits, it’s a recipe for losing. If we have yet to enter the ring and we already lost, it won’t do us any good,” he told reporters here, today.

He was commenting on several Sabah Umno leaders who did not agree with the appointment of Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin to lead the BN machinery to face the state PRN because he has a pending court case.

On Wednesday, BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi stressed that it was reasonable for Bung Moktar to lead the party machinery to face the Sabah PRN.

The Election Commission (EC) has set the Sabah PRN to be held on September 26 with nomination day on September 12 and early voting on September 22.

Meanwhile, commenting on the report that PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan confirmed that PAS is a part of a pro-tem committee with Bersatu to officially register Perikatan Nasional (PN) as a coalition, Mohamad said Umno respected the stand made by PAS.

"PAS joins the PN, there is no issue because the Muafakat Nasional (MN) is non-binding. PAS can join PN because MN is not a registered body, it has not been registered yet because what we have is a charter of cooperation.

"Umno has made a stand that we don’t join PN, and PAS respects our stand, and PAS says it wants to join PN, we also respect PAS’ stand,” he said.

Earlier, Mohamad and the BN candidate for the Slim state by-election Mohd Zaidi Aziz spent time with local residents at the food court in Slim town here. ― Bernama