United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) deputy president Wilfred Bumburing, who has been rumoured to be ditching Barisan Nasional (BN) to join Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) for quite some time, today resigned as BN chairperson for Tuaran amidst new speculation that a snap general election is likely to be called in September this year.
“I have hereby effective today, July 23, 2012, resigned from the post as Barisan Nasional chairperson for P170, Tuaran. My resignation will enable the new BN leadership of Tuaran to make preparation for the coming 13th general election,” said Bumburing in his resignation letter, which was made available to the press in Kota Kinabalu today.
Bumburing (right), a former state cabinet minister, also thanked the BN leadership for having the confidence in him leading BN Tuaran all this while.His letter of resignation was sent by facsimile to the BN headquarters in Kuala Lumpur to the attention of the BN secretary-general as well as to the office of the Sabah BN chairperson.
The Tuaran MP also sent a copy of his resignation letter to Upko president Bernard Dompok and party secretary-general Wilfred Madius Tangau.
However, Bumburing did not provide or state the reasons for relinquishing the post.
Meanwhile, in his brief statement, Bumburing said he would be making an important announcement with regard to the future direction of his political struggle during a special gathering in Dalit, Tuaran this Sunday at 1pm.
In the 2008 general election, Bumburing was fielded instead of then-incumbent Madius Tangau. Bumburing polled 17,645 votes to retain the Tuaran seat for BN with a 6,622-vote majority against his nearest rival Ansari Abdullah of PKR, who garnered 11,023 votes.
Independent candidate, Ajin Hazin Gagah, lost his deposit when he only managed 879 votes.
A couple of weeks ago, Bumburing, the man at the centre of a tug-of-war between the ruling BN coalition and the opposition, had denied he planned to leave his party ahead of the 13th general election.
Bumburing, together with Umno Beaufort division chief Lajim Ukin, have for months kept speculators on their toes.
Last month, Lajim, in celebrating his 57th birthday, had tendered his resignation as Kerambai Kebatu Umno branch chief and said he would not seek re-election as the Beaufort Umno division chief. He is also the Beaufort MP.
Dompok was recently quoted as describing the rumour that Bumburing had quit the party as “purely rumour and speculation”, designed to confuse the people ahead of the impending general election.
“He is a friend of mine and a member of the party and my deputy. I have just spoken to him and he sounded out that there was this type of things being circulated but it was not true,” Dompok was also quoted as saying.
- Bernama
ada kemungkinan Bumburing jg akan sertai pembangkang.
ReplyDeletetidak dinafikan Bumburing akan sertai pembangkang. Persoalannya, parti manakah beliau akan sertai??
DeleteMemang sudah dijangka Bumburing juga akan mengambil keputusan yang sama dengan Lajim.
ReplyDeleteBumburing ni tahun lalu lagi kata mahu lepaskan jawatannya dalam UPKO dan akan sertai Amanah.
ReplyDeleteKita tunggu dan lihat sahajalah parti manakah akan Bumburing sertai.
DeleteBiar betul..Macam Datuk Lajim punya cerita jugalah ini.
ReplyDeleteDatuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Bumburing’s action in leaving UPKO and the Barisan Nasional coalition and declaring his support for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s struggles through the Pakatan Rakyat is seen as an act of vanity.
ReplyDeleteIt will not bring any profit to the KDM community in particular, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Sepanggar chief Loretto S. Padua Jr said.
ReplyDeleteCommenting on Bumburing’s defection, Loretto pointed out that in a country that practises democracy, the latter’s decision to leave the BN coalition is respected.
ReplyDelete“However, his decision to support the struggle of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is an action that is not anticipated by a KDM leader like him. The public should be aware and evaluate the history of Anwar’s struggle towards the people of Sabah in general.
ReplyDelete“Bumburing should not forget the role played by Anwar that had caused the fall of the PBS Government in 1994. I believe that there is no room for KDM in Anwar’s administration, what more to expect that KDM will have a special place in his administration,” he lamented.
ReplyDeleteLoretto believed that Anwar’s trust towards KDM leaders is slowly being eroded as seen by the action of Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan who was then the vice president as the latter left PKR due to his dissatisfaction with the distribution of power by the PKR top leaders.
ReplyDelete“Therefore, I urge the people of Sabah especially the KDM not to be fooled by the propaganda made by Anwar and the other opposition leaders who only know how to make empty promises. Let us not gamble the fate of our nation in the hands of people like this.
ReplyDelete“This is because the present Government has played an active role in developing the nation, the people’s standard of living and openness by the Prime Minister in solving problems involving the people should be appreciated,” he stressed.
ReplyDelete