KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 12 -- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has described the upcoming Sabah state election as Umno's final opportunity to prove its strength before the next general election.

He said the 17th Sabah election will serve as a reflection of the party's performance heading into the 16th General Election (GE16).

"We are the underdog in Sabah... This is last chance to show that Sabah Umno and Barisan Nasional can do well," the Umno president told Mingguan Malaysia.

He said no single party is likely to dominate Sabah's volatile and fragile political landscape, making cooperation essential for any government formation.

Umno and BN, Zahid said, will maintain their alliance with Pakatan Harapan (PH), ensuring...