In a bid to blunt Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s damage control measures in Sabah yesterday, Senator Maijol Mahap today officially announced his resignation from all BN and Upko posts to align himself with Pakatan Rakyat.
Maijol, who made the announcement at his Kampung Kokobuan residence in Goshen, Kota Marudu this afternoon, said Kota Marudu Upko division leaders would similarly follow in his foot steps.
In his exit speech, Maijol said had no confidence in Najib’s “last minute” announcement yesterday of a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to investigate allegations that immigrants were granted citizenship for votes after waiting years for a resolution.
Najib had yesterday met with local BN leaders in Sabah and announced the formation of the RCI almost six months after it was mooted, but repeatedly delayed.
The premier had also urged its leaders to remain loyal after two of its representatives, namely Tuaran MP Wilfred Bumburing (centre in photo) and Beaufort MP Lajim Ukin announced their defection on July 29.
Maijol had raised eyebrows when he appeared along side opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on stage at Wilfred’s defection ceremony.
He had then at the ceremony announced his intention to quit Upko but did not say whether he would formally align himself with Pakatan Rakyat.
Following the initial announcement, speculation had been rife that Maijol’s defection was imminent.
Sabah BN’s Kota Belud MP Abdul Rahman Dahlan, too, had expected the third defection.
“Senator Maijol Mahap from Upko is joining Anwar this Sunday. No surprise as he announced leaving Upko two weeks ago with Wilfred Bumburing,” he said in a Twitter posting.
Maijol, who made the announcement at his Kampung Kokobuan residence in Goshen, Kota Marudu this afternoon, said Kota Marudu Upko division leaders would similarly follow in his foot steps.
In his exit speech, Maijol said had no confidence in Najib’s “last minute” announcement yesterday of a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to investigate allegations that immigrants were granted citizenship for votes after waiting years for a resolution.
Najib had yesterday met with local BN leaders in Sabah and announced the formation of the RCI almost six months after it was mooted, but repeatedly delayed.
The premier had also urged its leaders to remain loyal after two of its representatives, namely Tuaran MP Wilfred Bumburing (centre in photo) and Beaufort MP Lajim Ukin announced their defection on July 29.Maijol had raised eyebrows when he appeared along side opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on stage at Wilfred’s defection ceremony.
He had then at the ceremony announced his intention to quit Upko but did not say whether he would formally align himself with Pakatan Rakyat.
Following the initial announcement, speculation had been rife that Maijol’s defection was imminent.
Sabah BN’s Kota Belud MP Abdul Rahman Dahlan, too, had expected the third defection.
“Senator Maijol Mahap from Upko is joining Anwar this Sunday. No surprise as he announced leaving Upko two weeks ago with Wilfred Bumburing,” he said in a Twitter posting.
In the double defection last month, it was announced that Wilfred will lead the Angkatan Perubahan Sabah while Lajim would take charge of Pakatan Perubahan Sabah under the auspices of SRF to help garner local support for the opposition coalition.
‘SRF incorporated into Sabah Pakatan’
When contacted, PKR vice-president Tian Chua, who was present at the Kota Marudu ceremony today, said Maijol will be joining the APS, a platform for mobilising support for Pakatan in the next general election.
“We will also be having a coordinating committee which will facilitate all activities organised by us (Pakatan), APS and PPS,” he said, adding that all three ex-BN men namely Lajim, Wilfred and Maijol would be sitting on the committee.
Tian Chua (right) added that it was “likely” that Maijol will be fielded as a candidate in the next general election, but the decision would need to be finalised by the top leadership.
Asked if more BN members would be aligning themselves with Pakatan, Tian Chua said the opposition coalition’s door was open to those who identified with its struggle, but denied attempting to engineer defections in the state.
“Our focus has never been on defections but we’re trying to create a groundswell in the sense that Sabahans can take back the power in deciding the agenda,” he said.
An example, he said was how this groundswell had forced Najib’s hand in setting up the RCI against the wishes of local Sabah leaders and former premier Mahathir Mohamad.
Instead of party-hopping, the trend for the last three BN men was for them to join the Pakatan-friendly SRF which will be a Sabahan vehicle to garner support for Pakatan.
When contacted, PKR vice-president Tian Chua, who was present at the Kota Marudu ceremony today, said Maijol will be joining the APS, a platform for mobilising support for Pakatan in the next general election.
“We will also be having a coordinating committee which will facilitate all activities organised by us (Pakatan), APS and PPS,” he said, adding that all three ex-BN men namely Lajim, Wilfred and Maijol would be sitting on the committee.
Tian Chua (right) added that it was “likely” that Maijol will be fielded as a candidate in the next general election, but the decision would need to be finalised by the top leadership.Asked if more BN members would be aligning themselves with Pakatan, Tian Chua said the opposition coalition’s door was open to those who identified with its struggle, but denied attempting to engineer defections in the state.
“Our focus has never been on defections but we’re trying to create a groundswell in the sense that Sabahans can take back the power in deciding the agenda,” he said.
An example, he said was how this groundswell had forced Najib’s hand in setting up the RCI against the wishes of local Sabah leaders and former premier Mahathir Mohamad.
Instead of party-hopping, the trend for the last three BN men was for them to join the Pakatan-friendly SRF which will be a Sabahan vehicle to garner support for Pakatan.
Keluar2 parti ni perkara biasa. Penentunya tetap pada PRU13.
ReplyDeletePemimpin lompat parti pemimpin yang tiada pendirian.
DeleteBoleh percaya ka Anwar? Beliau mungkin terlibat dengan projek ic di Sabah sebelum ni.
ReplyDeleteAt present BN have many new and young capable leaders who are loyal to BN that can replace BN leaders who left and support Pakatan, as noted by the Sabah Umno deputy chief Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak. He proclaimed Malaysia to be a “democratic country” where a person was given the freedom to join a political party of his choice but in the next breath, he said Maijol was “pursuing his own personal agenda under the guise of serving the rakyat more effectively through different platform.
ReplyDeleteBiarkan mereka yang sudah bertekad untuk keluar parti. masih ramai lagi calon dalam BN yang boleh menggantikan mereka.
DeleteBiarlah mereka .. betul tu, masih bnayak calon pemimpin BN yang boleh mengantikan mereka.
DeleteSalleh’s BN colleague from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Datuk Liew Vui Keong, was also not surprised by Maijol’s move. He noted that the politician had been spotted two weeks ago attending former UPKO veteran Datuk Wilfred Bumburing welcome party into PR. “I can only wish him all the best,” said Liew, who is LDP president. Leaving and joining a political party is reflective of the nature of democracy,opined Datuk Liew Vui Keong, adding that “people can come and go” for both BN and PR parties. Asked about Sabah BN’s strategy to strengthen support in the face of recent crossovers, he said: “We just have to continue to work.”
ReplyDeletebiarlah, itu keputusan dia. hak dia membuat pilihan.
ReplyDelete"Maijol said had no confidence in Najib’s “last minute” announcement yesterday of a royal commission of inquiry (RCI)"
ReplyDeletepengumuman Najib sudah sampai kepada terma dan anggota panel RCI.. kenapa Maijol Mahap tidak keluar saja ketika RCI baru diperingkat cadangan?? dia juga sebenarnya buat keputusan Last Minute memandangkan PRU sudah semakin hampir.. alasan pun tidak relevant langsung..
apa yang terlewat sangat pengumuman RCI oleh Najib sedangkan beliau belum lagi menghabiskan tempoh sepenggal sebagai PM.. berbanding dengan Tun Mahathir yang menghabiskan masa 22 tahun dalam pentadbiran kerajaan namun gagal menubuhkan RCI..
ReplyDeleteberdasarkan alasan yang diberikan oleh Maijol, sepatutnya beliau sudah keluar dari BN ketika zaman Tun M, bukannya ketika zaman Najib.. kenapa tidak keluar awal?? tunggu ganjaran? mahu kekal dicalonkan? atau Anwar offer dia jawatan yang lebih baik??
ReplyDeletebagi saya, rakyat Sabah berhak dan WAJIB meragui keputusan yang dibuat oleh Lajim, Bumburing dan Maijol Mahap.. mereka2 ini adalah katak yang amat dahagakan pangkat, kuasa, dan kekayaan.. malah sikap mereka yang mementingkan diri sendiri juga bakal membawa bencana kepada rakyat di negeri ini sekiranya mereka berjaya membantu Pakatan merampas kerajaan negeri Sabah..
ReplyDelete