PKR's Tian Chua claims that Sabah MPs Lajim Ukin and Wilfred Bumburing 'resigned' from Barisan Nasional, so there was "no party-hopping."
PETALING JAYA: Under fire for what has been described as a ‘contradictory’ stand on party-hopping, Pakatan Rakyat leader Tian Chua said today he saw no wrong in the recent ‘defections’ by two Sabah lawmakers.
The PKR vice-president said the opposition pact are also against party-hopping but the defections of Umno’s Beaufort MP Lajim Ukin and Tuaran UPKO MP Wilfred Bumburing were merely resignations following disillusionment with the ruling coalition’s “failed” leadership.
“They just don’t believe in the Barisan Nasional leadership anymore so they resigned and said they would back Pakatan. That is not party hopping,” Tian, who is also PKR’s vice-president, told a press conference after the pact’s secretariat meeting here.
The duo’s resignation from BN, followed by rumours of more possible resignations by lawmakers from the key state of Sabah, prompted some leaders from both sides of the political divide to call for an “anti-hopping” law.
Pakatan component party DAP said it would try and introduce the law in Penang where they head the administration in a move seen as critical of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim’s ongoing move to court more defections.
Sabah provides 25 out of the 222 parliamentary seats which makes it a crucial state to infiltrate for Pakatan in the upcoming polls.
With the pact winning just a few seats less than BN in the landmark 2008 elections, Sabah, known as the ruling coalition’s “fixed deposit”, became the ruling coalition’s saving grace next to Sarawak when it provided the majority it needed to maintain power.
‘Hypocritical’
The party secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said his party’s silence on Lajim and Bumburing’s exit from their respective parties was “self-explanatory” of the DAP’s position on the matter.
But the move came under immediate fire with rivals accusing Lim of being hypocritical for his alliance with Anwar who was seen as the architect behind the Sabah defections.
Some accused the proposal as a violation of Article 10 of the Federal Constitution that provides for freedom of association.
The PKR de facto leader was also the man behind a failed Sept 16 “coup” in 2009 that was meant to involve mass defections of BN lawmakers and oust the administration of then premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
But Tian said today the pact detested party hopping and that Lajim and Bumburing’s resignations came with the assurance that they will not contest under the Pakatan ticket.
“So this will give voters the chance to vote and give a new mandate to anyone else… there is no undermining of the democratic process here,” he said.
He added that the pact will soon discuss the idea of pushing for an anti-hopping law soon.
Mungkin memang perlu undang-undang anti-lompat ini dikaji semula. Ini bagi memastikan masalah khianat mengkhianati ini dapat ditangani.
ReplyDeletejgn sokong yang suka melompat.
ReplyDeleteKes melompat parti ini satu pengkhiantan. Jadi tidak patut dicontohi.
ReplyDeleteBN government is the kind of administration that assures the future of generations to come
ReplyDeleteThe leaders of Malaysian then and now have wisely managed the country to enable it to stand on a firm economic foundation and we can see this clearly when we compare ourselves with European countries that are currently mired in economic crisis
ReplyDeletetidak masuk akal betul alasan si Tian Chua ni.. kalau sudah lompat masuk parti lain mestilah dia akan cakap parti itu gagal atau hilang kepercayaan terhadap parti itu.. takkan dia mahu puji parti itu pula.. sama juga dengan pemimpin2 Pakatan yang melompat masuk kedalam umno.. belum pernah ada pemimpin yang melompat parti memuji parti yang telah dia tinggalkan.. bengap sangat si Tian Chua ni rupanya..
ReplyDeleteAnwar tu memang sudah hobi dia memancing katak.. tidak perlulah Tian Chua bermati2an mahu melindungi kredibiliti dia..
ReplyDeleteCalling on the people to maintain unity in defending the independence, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has called on the people to join hands to propel the country to greater heights.
ReplyDeleteThe prime minister urged the people to unite and work with the leaders to ensure the success of the country’s transformation agenda.
ReplyDeleteThe prime minister urged the people to unite and work with the leaders to ensure the success of the country’s transformation agenda.
ReplyDeleteHe said after 55 years of independence, Malaysia was now be considered a successful, increasingly rich, prosperous and strong country.
ReplyDelete“Be aware that the independence knocked our door only once. Let us struggle to defend the independence firmly in every noon and corner the country at all times.
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ReplyDeletePresent were the prime minister’s wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his wife, Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman, Cabinet ministers, and Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders.
ReplyDeleteThe country is led by leaders who are continuing the struggle laid down by the founders who fought for the independence, said Najib, adding that the leaders and the people were not working hand in hand to fulfil the independence for the third generation.
ReplyDelete“So do not let your guard down, do not be complacent even for a moment. Never turn your back on the struggle,” he said.
ReplyDeleteCiting Malaysia’s resounding success, he said the economy grew 5.4 per cent in the second quarter of this year, the value of Bursa Malaysia had hit RM1,410 billion, and Malaysia had become the world’s third biggest Initial Public Offering (IPO) after the United States and China.
ReplyDeleteHe said the first phase of the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) implemented since 2010 to raise the standard of living of the people would come to a close at the end of the year while the second phase would be launched early next year.
ReplyDelete“We can compete with great economic power if we implement policies and programmes that have planned correctly.
ReplyDelete“We can compete with great economic power if we implement policies and programmes that have planned correctly.
ReplyDelete