‘Cease attacks on SAPP’

Lim Kit Siang has reminded Sabah DAP that their fight is with Umno-Barisan Nasional not SAPP.

PENAMPANG: DAP strongman Lim Kit Siang has directed party leaders in Sabah to bury the hatchet and stop the on-going war of words with fellow opposition member, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP).

Lim, the DAP adviser, is worried that the quarrel between the party’s state branch and SAPP is distracting them from the real challenge in the 13th general election that could be called by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak any time now.

Lim said DAP Sabah should focus on strengthening the party and Pakatan Rakyat in the state so that it could topple the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) in the coming general election.

It should not be side-tracked by its disagreement with SAPP.

Speaking at the Sabah DAP annual delegates congress here over the weekend, Lim reminded delegates that the 13th general election is not between the DAP and SAPP.

“It will be between DAP and Pakatan against Umno and Barisan Nasional.

“My advice to Sabah DAP leaders is to end to the war of words (with SAPP); focus on DAP-Pakatan against Umno-BN,” he said.

On the allocation of seats for the coming election, Lim hoped that the Pakatan coalition comprising DAP, PKR and PAS would be able to formulate a common policy so as to avoid any misunderstanding.

He said he was informed by Sabah DAP leaders that advanced discussions and negotiations on the allocation of seats for Sabah were taking place.

“But because there has been a change in the Sabah PKR leadership, we have to await further communication.

“What has been decided and negotiated within the Sabah Pakatan, was conducted when Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail was the chairman; therefore I believe there will be a basis for us to reach a final agreement.

“We hope that Sabah Pakatan will be ready to take on BN one to one and to ensure that we can get at least one third of the parliamentary seats in Sabah, so that we are on the way to Putrajaya to bring about change not only in the peninsula but in Sabah as well,” Lim said.

‘Not attacking SAPP anymore’

Sabah DAP chief Jimmy Wong said that the state DAP leadership would implement a “ceasefire” against SAPP.

“As far as we are concerned, we have a ceasefire at the moment. We are not going to attack (SAPP) anymore. We are focusing on the fight between DAP-Pakatan and Umno-BN,” he said.

On claims that Sabah PKR and SAPP had negotiated on seat allocations, Wong, who is also Sri Tanjong assemblyman, said he was not aware of it.

“We have no knowledge of the negotiation between PKR and SAPP until we read in the newspaper today.

“They may have had private negotiation … Sabah Pakatan was not informed.

“Anyway we welcome PKR negotiating with SAPP. They have all the freedom to do so but then they have to adhere to the principle that (any decision) is subject to Sabah Pakatan leaders.

“They (Sabah Pakatan leaders) will have the final say on the terms and conditions of allocation of seats,” he said.

Earlier, Lim, in his speech, pointed out that Pakatan was the one promoting the 1Malaysia concept while the BN was doing the opposite.

He said that racial and religious polarisation in the country had worsened under the BN over the last two years.

“There is concern about the worsening race relations… and a general apprehension that we might be heading for a religious showdown.

“These are issues which are not the result of one incident but an accumulation of incitements and irresponsible sentiments by Umno people and Umno bloggers… like, for instance, DAP wants to have a Christian Malaysia and a Christian prime minister… all this is a pack of lies.

“But these things are allowed to be recycled over and over again to create that type of confrontational feeling between the races… which is against the whole concept of 1Malaysia which is to promote goodwill and greater understanding.

“What we are seeing is the very opposite and it is Pakatan that is promoting greater understanding.

“So although in name BN is promoting 1Malaysia, it is doing the very opposite,” he said.