Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the appointment of Bung had been announced by party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and it was therefore only proper for party members to set aside their personal interest for the party’s well-being.

“The president has officially appointed Bung to head Sabah’s election machinery. The decision by the president is tantamount to the party’s decision … as such, I hope all members will brush aside their own agenda and self-interest for it’s the party and not individuals who are contesting.

“My ultimate hope is that everyone accepts the president’s decision wholeheartedly,” he told a media conference after attending the launch of the Tabung Pahlawan 2020 campaign here.

Ismail was commenting on news reports that a group of Umno Sabah leaders led by the party’s Tuaran division chief Abdul Rahman Dahlan has opposed the appointment of Bung as the BN Sabah election director.

Rahman said the announcement by Zahid had breached the autonomy spirit accorded to Ummo Sabah to determine its own political direction.

He added the selection of Bung, who is currently facing court charges, was itself an insult to Umno Sabah and could be seen as “providing ammunition to the enemy” considering the BN coalition stood a good chance of winning the election at the expense of incumbent Warisan.