Sabah Umno has poured cold water on remarks made by PKR’s Razeef Rakimin over seat allocations ahead of the state election, warning that any deal must be struck at the highest level and not dictated by one party.

Sabah Umno’s Strategic Communications Director Datu Rosman Datu Ahir Zaman said the comment by Razeef — who is both the deputy information chief of PKR’s central leadership and head of PKR Sabah’s information bureau — should be regarded as a personal view.

“His statement does not represent the official stance of Pakatan Harapan (PH) as a coalition. 

“Barisan Nasional (BN)’s ongoing discussions are with the PH leadership as a whole, not just with one component party like PKR,” he said in Kota Kinabalu on Friday. 

He clarified that the recent assertion by Umno Sabah information chief Datuk Suhaimi Nasir — that BN intends to contest 40 seats and has offered 33 to PH — was based on a preliminary seat-sharing formula, contingent on a finalised cooperation framework.

“The offer is open to negotiation. If there is no mutual agreement, BN reserves the right to explore collaboration with other parties willing to work strategically for Sabah’s stability and development,” he said. 

Rosman stressed that BN would not enter the election as a junior partner.

“BN will only contest from a position of strength. We will not be part of any coalition as a minority,” he said, citing the party’s grassroots reach and past record of governance.

He also said any new pact — including what some insiders describe as a potential “BN-PH Plus” alliance — must be built on “trust, political maturity and mutual respect.”

As seat negotiations intensify in the lead-up to PRN17, the statement is the clearest sign yet that Sabah Umno wants to reassert its central role in any potential electoral pact — and is unwilling to be boxed in by smaller coalition partners.

Rosman’s remarks follow Razeef’s public statement questioning the 40-33 seat distribution proposal, a move that drew swift pushback from BN quarters.

“Political cooperation must be conducted in good faith, not through unilateral declarations,” Rosman said.

Sabah Pakatan Harapan chairman-designate Datuk Ewon Benedick whose position presently being challenged by Sabah PKR has not made any comment on the matter. – May 2, 2025