In a Facebook post, Salleh Said Keruak said there were pros and cons to forming a political pact, either before or after elections.

“There is no single right answer. What matters the most is that coalitions are built with integrity, prioritise stability, and respect the people’s mandate.”

Salleh said a pre-election coalition would give voters clarity about potential governments and make it easier to establish a stable administration.

It would also prevent vote splitting and overlapping candidates, he said.

“However, challenges in pre-election coalitions include difficulties in agreeing on policies and seat allocations, the risk of smaller parties losing their identity, and the potential for internal conflicts if expectations are not properly managed.”

A post-election coalition, on the other hand, would allow each component party to contest based on its own strength with past results serving as a guide during negotiations, while smaller parties might become “kingmakers”, he said.

But he added that coalitions formed after elections still carried risks – voters might feel betrayed if parties teamed up with former opponents, and the incoming government might be unstable, he said.

Salleh also said that political coalitions were more than tactical arrangements.

“They are reflections of democratic maturity. When founded on trust and shared purpose, they can lead a nation towards a more stable and promising future.”

Sabah Umno chairman Bung Moktar Radin recently announced that the party would cooperate with Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH) for the upcoming state election, although Sabah DAP later dismissed such claims.

Both Barisan Nasional and chief minister Hajiji Noor’s Gabungan Rakyat Sabah are courting PH for an alliance for the state polls. PH previously said it would decide on the matter closer to the elections.