KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 — Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates contesting the upcoming Sabah state election will be required to sign a statutory declaration (SD) to prevent party-hopping.

According to Harian Metro, Umno secretary-general Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the move is part of the party’s standard operating procedure.

"The signing of SDs by candidates began during the Melaka state election, continued in Johor, and was refined in the last general election.

"For the Sabah state election, we are using the same template, but it has been updated in line with the current political landscape.

"Our legal team is reviewing the document, but overall, the previous version has proven sufficient — which is why no party-hopping occurred among our elected representatives after the general election,” he reportedly said during the Machang Umno division delegates’ meeting in Machang last night.

Commenting on the Malay Secretariat Committee announced by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad — aimed at uniting the Malays under a common platform — Asyraf Wajdi said those seeking such unity could rally under Umno, including the former prime minister himself.

"To us, Umno is the true umbrella, as all other parties are breakaways from it. If unity is the goal, then we must return to the original,” he said.