Bung said the BN victory in Mahkota reflected the people’s confidence in BN and their warm reception towards the partnership with PH.

“The success of this formula of cooperation should not stop here. Sabah BN and Sabah PH need to ensure this formula and model of alliance continues in Sabah, especially with the state elections to be held soon.

“The cooperation between BN and PH needs to continue to bring positive change in Sabah,” he said in a statement tonight.

Although BN and PH are partners in the federal unity coalition, PH is allied with the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah coalition led by Hajiji Noor in the Sabah government, while Sabah BN is part of the opposition.

Bung, who is also Sabah Umno chief, said voters were becoming more aware of the importance of political stability in ensuring and expediting Malaysia’s economic recovery.

The same goes for Sabah, said the former deputy chief minister, adding that the state’s development and success in wooing investors hung on its political stability.

Two weeks ago, BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that Umno had agreed in principle to tie up with PH for the Sabah elections. Zahid said Umno and BN also welcomed any other party that wished to collaborate with them.

The following week, GRS chairman Hajiji said the party would continue working with PH in the state elections, which must be held by December 2025.

Hajiji, who is Sabah chief minister, sacked Bung from the state Cabinet in January 2023 after Sabah Umno attempted to unseat him by retracting its support for the chief minister.

Four Sabah Umno assemblymen refused to abide by Bung’s orders and continued to back Hajiji, while PH also gave the chief minister its backing and was included in the state government.

At the 2020 state assembly elections, PH and Warisan formed an alliance against the GRS front, which had included Sabah Umno, Bersatu, Parti Bersatu Sabah and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku, among others.