Zahid said Sabah Umno went through testing times after the 2018 general election when Barisan Nasional fell out of power at the federal level, with several prominent state leaders quitting the party.

“After the turmoil Sabah Umno faced in 2018, many had assumed that Sabah Umno was dead and buried. However, we gained a general who kept fighting to revive Sabah Umno,” he said, referring to state Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin.

“It’s true that leaders come and go, but true leaders are the ones who go through trials and suffering,” he said, according to Harian Metro.

Zahid, who is also the BN chairman, was addressing members from Sabah Umno’s 25 divisions during the celebration of the state chapter’s anniversary in Tawau today.

He urged Sabah Umno’s leaders and members to mobilise their machinery in a more strategic manner ahead of the coming state election in order to regain the trust of Sabahans.

“God willing, the season of drought will end,” he said.

BN and the ruling state coalition Gabungan Rakyat Sabah are both courting Pakatan Harapan for an alliance in the state election.

Sabah Umno has also been urging GRS chairman Hajiji Noor to step down as chief minister over the alleged mining scandal involving several assemblymen from the ruling coalition.

However, Sabah PH leaders have insisted that the state administration should continue to function as usual pending investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.