Tony Paridi Bagang of UiTM Sabah said it would be advisable for Bung to enter a “cooling off” period because Bung’s coup attempt had not only tarnished his image but also that of Sabah Umno.
“For Sabah Umno to mend its relationship (with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah), it is only to be expected that Bung will not be at the forefront of the Sabah unity government, so somebody has to replace him,” he said.
“It is not about (Bung) being sidelined but making a political compromise to set the record straight.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Awang Azman Pawi of Universiti Malaya said Bung must respect the decision made by the central leadership despite Sabah BN’s autonomy.
“Bung has to be patient and plan his next step around the central leadership’s decision if he wants to make a comeback in the Sabah state polls, which will take place in another three years,” he said.
On Sunday, BN announced that it would be backing Hajiji Noor as the Sabah chief minister and appointed Sabah BN deputy chief Yakub Khan to represent the coalition in talks with the state unity government.
The coalition’s about-turn comes after Bung’s attempt to oust Hajiji from office by announcing the coalition was withdrawing its support for the GRS chairman.
However, Bung’s attempt, which was supported by Warisan, Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (PKDM), and an independent assemblyman, failed after Hajiji proved he had the support of the majority of the assemblymen in the state.
Bung was eventually dropped as deputy chief minister (DCM) following Hajiji’s Cabinet reshuffle.
Lee Kuok Tiung of Universiti Sabah Malaysia said naming Yakub as the coalition’s representative for negotiations with the state government clearly meant that Bung had been officially sidelined despite his position as the state’s chief.
“Since Bung had been branded as one of the masterminds behind the coup, BN could have chosen Yakub to ease the tension and avoid scepticism in any future negotiations,” he said.
However, Lee said Bung would not lose his position as BN state chief just because he was no longer the DCM.
Although the DCM’s post would give Bung an advantage, Lee said it would also depend on whether his supporters could win positions in their respective divisions.