KUALA LUMPUR - PKR has confirmed that several of its Sabah members have resigned to join the Umno-BN coalition.
"We regret that they have chosen to take this step but the core of our activities in Sabah remain unaffected by their departure," PKR vice president Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.
"All of those who left are not holding significant posts nor are they elected representatives. We cannot stop them as they have the right to freedom of association but they only harm their own reputation by joining such an unprincipled coalition as Umno-BN."
Tian was responding to a news report that 11 mid-level Sabah PKR members had quit, expressing support for the Umno-BN.
The news was announced by Prime Minister Najib Razak himself at a press conference in the peninsula.
"With what has happened and is going to happen, it means that PKR in Sabah is about finished and the BN is getting stronger and continues to gain the trust of Sabahans," said Najib.
According to Bernama news agency, the 11 were "division heads, division deputy heads and division information chiefs from Kudat, Kota Marudu, Kota Belud, Sepanggar, Pensiangan, Beluran, Kinabatangan, Batu Sapi, Silam, Kalabakan and Semporna."
Najib also said this was the first wave of departures from PKR and that more would be following in their footsteps soon.
"I wish to thank to them for their confidence in shifting their support to the BN and this reflects that our effort to make changes and transformation to the nation, specifically Sabah, has gained their trust and confidence. Hopefully, with this, BN will be able to serve the people of Sabah more effectively," said Najib.
'Princely' bribes?
Nonetheless, speculation is rife that all 11 have been paid "princely sums" to defect.
"This is Sabah Umno's way to go one up on PKR after our resolution on Sunday but we will overcome these hiccups and grow even stronger now that we have made our stance on East Malaysia very clear," said Tian.
At a special congress held over the weekend, the party led by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim had adopted into its constitution, the pledge to give Sabah and Sarawak autonomy, i.e. "to be faithful to the spirit of fair cooperation and power sharing between Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsula Malaysia by strengthening the just political and economic position based on the Malaysia Agreement 1963".
"PKR is firm in its stance of wanting autonomy for Sabah and Sarawak and to ensure fair distribution of national wealth to all states," PKR president Wan Azizah had said.
"PKR is firm in its stance of wanting autonomy for Sabah and Sarawak and to ensure fair distribution of national wealth to all states," PKR president Wan Azizah had said.
No bribes given - Najib
However, Najib denied the claims that the BN had 'influenced' the leaders to quit PKR.
"Not possible. It is because they have lost faith in the party, that is the bottomline," said the PM.
Present at the media conference with Najib were Akhmain Sabtu (Kudat division chief), Anthony Mandiau (Kota Marudu division chief), Juhani Abd Halim (Silam division chief), Mohd Jun (Kalabakan division chief), Mustapha Tambuyung (Kinabatangan division chief), Lokman Ureh (Semporna division chief), Timothy Lim (Sepanggar division chief), Apandy Sipin (Pensiangan division) and Aris Remigius (Batu Sapi division chief), Angki Addek (Kota Marudu deputy division chief) and Soloh Yuna (Kota Belud Information chief).
The Beluran representative, however, did not attend. Also present were two Sabah PKR assemblymen who had quit the party on Nov 4, namely Matunggong assemblyman Datuk Jelani Hamdan and Kedamaian assemblyman Jeremy Malajad.
Malaysia Chronicle
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