KOTA KINABALU, Feb 8 — Former Sabah Umno members contesting on Barisan Nasional tickets in the recent 14th general election (GE14) and quitting the party will receive summonses from Umno, said party secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa.
He said the summonses would be issued to the members of Parliament and state assemblymen (Adun) who contested in the recent general election.
“The legal action taken is not to prevent their decision to leave the party because that decision is their individual right.
“This is not a matter of party-hopping by them but because they had a contract, (they) received funds from the party, received certain assistance from the party to uphold the trust of the party including using the party's logo with the president's signature,” he said at a media conference after a Meeting with Umno Members, here today.
He said the move was taken based on the decision of the members of the Umno supreme council (MT) and the process to issue the summonses would take time because it had to undergo several processes including preparing the documents and appointing the lawyers.
“Several people had been summoned, others have yet to be summoned. This does not mean that those who have not been summoned will escape. The MT will decide from time to time. If they return to reconcile, then it is a different issue, the summons will still proceed,” he said.
Meanwhile, Annuar said Sabah Umno had appointed the respective heads at the divisional, branch, Youth, Wanita and Puteri levels who were mostly new faces.
He said the appointments were made to restructure the party under the new leadership of Datuk Seri Bung Mokhtar Radin.
He said the party members appointed were proven to be loyal members as well as having served the party despite not holding any post.
“Sabah Umno as had been agreed by the MT had been given certain autonomy which would be detailed from time to time to enable Sabah Umno to make decisions and resolutions,” he added.
On December 12 last year, five Members of Parliament, nine State Assemblymen and two senators, including Sabah Umno chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor announced their decision to quit the party. — Bernama
