Usno links up with Jeffrey’s UBF

Jeffrey meanwhile advised the crowd not to be misled again by the sweet talk of the so-called leaders of BN and to use their vote wisely.

KUDAT: Leaders of the once all-powerful United Sabah National Organization or Usno which disbanded in 1990 have joined up with the United Borneo Front (UBF) in its fight to restore Sabah’s rights.

Usno protem vice-president, Abdullah Sani Salleh and protem secretary-general, Arifin Abdul Salam told supporters at a recent joint-gathering with UBF at the birthplace of Usno in Kampung Tanjung Kapur, near here, that the Barisan Nasional coalition government had betrayed Sabahans.

Abdullah Sani told the large crowd of Bajau, Suluk, Sungai, Dusun, Rungus, Kagayan and other sub-ethnic groups that the state government leaders and Umno in particular have failed to safeguard and protect the rights of Sabah and Sabahans.

“Usno leaders support UBF and Jeffrey Kitingan who is fighting for Sabah. Usno supporters should support the UBF and Jeffrey to restore the rights of Sabah,” Abdullah Sani told villagers in Jeffrey’s presence.

“Usno will work towards the unity of all races in Sabah regardless of whether they are Bajau, Suluk, KDM, Rungus, Brunei or others to reclaim the rights of Sabah and Sabahans in Malaysia,” he added.

Abdullah Sani said that land-related problems are just some of the many examples of the state government failing the people and that the ruling party and its “wakil rakyat” have victimized the villagers by alienating the land to outsiders.

“Since the state government has done little to help, Sabahans should unite to change the state government,” he said.

After reminding residents that Kampung Tanjung Kapur was the birthplace of Usno in 1961 and that Usno would defend their land rights, Abdullah Sani said that Usno founder, the late Tun Mustapha Harun had never betrayed Sabah.

He said Mustapha had never alienated taken an inch of the land of villagers other than the land for his own house which still stands today.

“Although powerful as he was, unlike the present Barisan Nasional leaders who would do everything to alienate lands to their cronies and to the extent of “stealing” land from the local native villagers and evicting them, the late Tun never took an inch of people’s land,” he said.

Jeffrey told the crowd that their land problem was not unique to Kampung Tanjung Kapur and that the state government has failed to protect the rights of natives to their own land throughout Sabah as can be seen in the recent cases of land grabs and demolition of the homes of natives and the destruction of crops and plants in Sukau and Tongod.

Welcoming the support of Usno, the UBF founder said: “Together with the cooperation of Usno, UBF will form an alliance for all Sabahans regardless of race and religion to stand united to protect and safeguard our interests and rights and follow the motto of UBF – “If not us, who? If not now, when?” and “Unity is duty”.

Jeffrey also advised the crowd not to be misled again by the sweet talk of the so-called leaders of BN and to use their vote wisely.

“Sabahans do not need leaders who are pulled by their noses by leaders from West Malaysia or dictated by their political bosses from Kuala Lumpur.

“Sabah needs genuine “pejuang-pejuang” (fighters) for Sabah and Sabahans’ rights and every patriotic Sabahan should be a “pejuang” for Sabah,” Jeffrey added.