The lack of direction in Umno following the party's colossal defeat in the May 9 polls is one of the reasons for the exodus of its Sabah lawmakers, said former minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan.

The Umno supreme council member, in a series of tweets, said the MPs and assemblypersons who quit the party had done so after having considered the political situation in Sabah.

"The exodus of Sabah Umno leaders is a sign that something is wrong with Umno now.

"The party is still rudderless. A lot of confusing signals are passed down from the upper echelons of the party, confusing the grassroots. A while to the right, then to the left, then to the centre. 

"Six months have passed (since Umno's electoral defeat), but Umno is still incapable of giving a clear signal on where the party is headed," said Rahman, who is a former minister in the Prime Minister's Department, and a former staunch defender of ex-premier Najib Abdul Razak.

According to him, Umno had also failed to understand Sabah's unique political scenario after the 14th general election.

"There has been no consistent nor substantive engagement since GE14.

"After this, the finger pointing will start, but not many will admit that the lack of direction of Umno is one of the reasons why the Sabah Umno leaders have quit en masse.

"As an Umno supreme council member, I'm not surprised by the lawmakers' decision. I don't blame them. That (quitting) is their right after having considered all political aspects in the state," said Rahman.

Earlier today, more than a dozen Sabah Umno MPs and state assemblypersons quit the party and pledged their support for Pakatan Harapan and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The MPs who quit included Beluran MP Ronald Kiandee, Abdul Rahim Bakri (Kudat), Azizah Mohd Dun (Beaufort) and Zakaria Mohd Edris (Libaran). Their exits have reduced the number of Umno parliamentary seats to 44.

Former Multimedia and Communications minister Salleh Said Keruak and former Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia were also among the Umno members who quit.

Former state Umno chief Hajiji Mohd Noor had also said in a statement that the lawmakers were 'leaving with a heavy heart but a clear conscience', and that they were breaking free from the political baggage of the past.