Bung, who led an attempted coup against the Sabah chief minister last year, said it was “inappropriate” to have invited Hajiji.

He said the Tuaran Umno meeting was meant as a platform for party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to talk about direction and strategy. With Hajiji in attendance, Zahid could not do so, Bung said.

Sabah Pakatan Harapan chief Christina Liew had also attended the meeting alongside Hajiji.

“When leaders from parties outside of Umno came, the president was forced to engage in doublespeak.

“This was a mistake by Rahman,” Bung told FMT.

Bung said he himself had not attended the event in Tuaran as he was not invited, but that he had gone to the Sepanggar Umno meeting later which was officiated by Zahid.

Zahid previously acknowledged that there were those in the party who had asked him to reconsider officiating the Tuaran Umno meeting as Hajiji – whose ties with Bung turned frosty after the failed coup attempt, dubbed the “Kinabalu Move” – would be in attendance.

However, Zahid, the deputy prime minister, said he decided to attend the meeting as “unity is vital when it comes to championing a cause”.

Bung expressed hope that such an incident would not occur again, adding that there were “other quarters” who would benefit if an Umno leader acted as if he were the state’s chief.

“I have rectified this situation and most of the divisional chiefs are behind me,” he said.

He added that while Sabah Umno was seen as fractured with the existence of various camps, it was not too serious an issue.

“While Rahman is in a faction that believes Umno should work with anyone, it is not the party’s official stand.

“Anyone in Sabah Umno is free to suggest something, but the final decision must be made with the president.”