KOTA BELUD, Jan 22 (Bernama) --  Umno leaders should not glorify themselves or their achievements and make themselves appear more "special" to pursue their political agenda,  said Sabah Umno deputy liaison chief Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak.

He said the success achieved so far was the result of the effective implementation of  the party's numerous policies which has ruled the country since gaining  independence.

In this respect, he said Umno leaders, who glorified themselves and tried to undermine the party, should be ignored in the coming elections.

"What is important is loyalty to the party. Political leaders will go and come but we must continue to serve the people to the best of our ability," he said in his remarks during a meeting with Kadamaian Kadazandusun Umno leaders, here today.

Alluding to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's  recent call for Umno members not to 'backstab' election candidates in the upcoming general elections, Salleh said loyalty to the party was of paramount importance "if the Umno, the backbone of the state Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, wants to chalk up another resounding victory in Sabah ".

Sabah remains a valuable "fixed deposit" for the ruling BN coalition. In the 2008 general election, Sabah BN almost made a clean sweep, winning 24 of the 25 parliamentary seats and 59 of the 60 state seats. BN only lost the Kota Kinabalu parliamentary seat and Sri Tanjung state seat Salleh, who is who is also Sabah Legislative Assembly speaker, said since its inception  Umno, together with other BN component parties, stood the test of time and was regarded as the architect of the country's development.

He also called on Kadazandusun Umno leaders in Kadamaian to work hard to ensure Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) candidate, representing the BN, would retain the state seat with increased majority, thus enabling the government to continue its transformation agenda for the good of the state and the people.

Kadamaian state constituency is now represented by PBS vice president Datuk Herbert Timbun Lagadan.

 -- BERNAMA