Sabah Polls A Wake-up Call For UMNO - Asyraf Wajdi

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 (Bernama) -- The results of the recent 17th Sabah state election should serve as a critical wake-up call for UMNO to confront the realities of change and voter realignment in the current political landscape, the party’s secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said.

He said UMNO secured only 144,584 votes in the Sabah polls despite having 622,637 registered members in the state, underscoring that party members do not automatically translate into voters, and that voter loyalty can no longer be taken for granted.

Asyraf noted that since 2016, Sabah UMNO has experienced three major waves of defections involving both members and leaders, namely to Parti Warisan in 2016, to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) in 2018, and to Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) in 2023.

“Each wave has eroded UMNO’s strength, severing one by one the lifelines of Sabah UMNO’s struggle.

“This is the reality of political migration that we must face boldly, not only in Sabah, but nationwide. Loyalty today can no longer be assumed,” he said when presenting the party’s report at the UMNO General Assembly 2025 at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) here today.

Asyraf said that while UMNO often views rising membership numbers as a sign of strength, the hard truth is that membership figures do not necessarily translate into electoral victory.

“This downward trend is not confined to Sabah alone. The same pattern has repeated itself in the last three general elections, GE13, GE14 and GE15.

“As we approach the Melaka and Johor state elections and eventually GE16, we must honestly ask: Is the addition of 46,655 members this year, bringing total membership to 3.525 million, sufficient to guarantee victory?” he said.

The ongoing UMNO General Assembly 2025 is being attended by 6,412 delegates from the party’s divisions, Wanita UMNO, UMNO Youth and Puteri UMNO.

-- BERNAMA