Acting Semporna Umno division chief Nasir Sakaran regrets the decision of several leaders to quit the party out of anger.

Nasir said they should not have been influenced by certain parties and quit Umno without thinking about the services rendered by the party all these years.

"They should have remained calm, reflect and discuss the issue before making a decision.

"The quit decision is not in the interest of the people and Semporna," he told reporters after a special meeting with Senallang Umno branch chiefs at the Semporna district council multi-purpose hall, today.

Nasir said those involved should realise the state government never neglected the people's welfare and build a lot of infrastructure in the area.

"We were in dire straits for a very long time until Umno arrived in Sabah. It gave us the power as the state government," he added.

Semporna Umno vice-chief Jaujan Sambakong and several branch chiefs quit Umno on Monday to protest the suspension of vice-president Mohamad Shafie Apdal.

Shafie was Semporna Umno division chief.

- Bernama