Reports of ‘massive’ money in Tuaran

Anwar Ibrahim’s Sabah ally Wilfred Bumburing lost his Tuaran parliamentary seat to BN but kept the Tampurali state constituency.

KOTA KINABALU: Wilfred Bumburing, the Pakatan Rakyat coalition candidate for the Tuaran parliamentary seat who was defeated in Sunday’s election, said he takes comfort from the fact that voters here have clearly rejected the Barisan Nasional coalition government.

The Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS) president said it could not be denied that the result of the just concluded 13th general election is against the electoral mood of the majority of the people who have voiced their sentiments for change.

He said it was clear that the huge number of illegal immigrants in the state, who were granted Malaysian citizenship in a clandestine project that began in the 1990s, was among the major reasons for the defeat of opposition candidates.

The sentiment for change, he added, was also poisoned by the massive amount of money being used and distributed on the eve of polling day in an effort to stall the momentum of the opposition.

“We have received reports of massive amounts of money being distributed to the electorate in the Sulaman constituency under the Tuaran parliamentary constituency on the eve of polling day,” Bumburing claimed.

“We are now gathering evidence to prove these allegations. Because of this, I lost the Tuaran parliamentary seat although I won in Tamparuli,“ he added.

Bumburing, the incumbent Tuaran MP, was defeated by Barisan Nasional’s Wilfred Madius Tangau who is United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) secretary general.

Tangau was Tuaran MP until 2008 when he was sidelined to make way for Bumburing, then Upko deputy president, to contest.

Bumburing defected from the ruling BN coalition mid last year to form the pro-opposition Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS).

Government must fulfill promises

In Sunday’s general election, Bumburing also contested in the Tamparuli state seat where he defeated BN’s Jahid Jahim.

Bumburing said he would continue the agenda for change, fighting for justice and equality for every Malaysian and work closely with the other components of Pakatan Rakyat to ensure that the people’s interest is championed.

He called on the government to fulfil their promises to the people as outlined in their manifesto as it was their moral obligation.