Split in Sabah Umno?

Wannabe political party, KDM Malaysia, has members who are also in Sabah Umno, reveals founder

By Jason Majpie

PENAMPANG: A senior Sabah Umno member has slammed a Barisan Nasional-leaning NGO for deviating from its original purpose and possibly damaging support for the ruling coalition.

Penampang Umno division chief John Ambrose said he was sad to know that the current leadership of KDM Malaysia, which he helped found, is now planning to enter politics.

“It was never meant to be a political party … its main purpose was to help the KadazanDusun Murut communities through Umno,” Ambrose said.

He said  the NGO was formed as a kind of liaison body between the native KDM community, Umno and other BN component parties.

Ambrose was responding to KDM Malaysia president Peter Anthony’s insistence on registering the organisation as a political party and applying to join BN.

“I am very sad to see KDM Malaysia turn out like this, I am a founding member. I was the one who spoke to the Prime Minister and Chief Minister about setting it up.

“I was also the one who brought him (Anthony) into KDM Malaysia and he toppled me.

“Now, I do not even know whether I am still a member of KDM Malaysia because Peter (Anthony) has declared all those who go against him as non-members,” he told reporters here.

What’s the real agenda?

Ambrose also questioned if Anthony, who is a member of Umno, had decided to quit the party.

He said such a move was a sign of disloyalty to the party.

“Maybe he (Peter) wants to become an elected representative, but let me remind him that he has to resign from Umno first, because how can you form a political party when you are still a member of one? He is a member of Penampang Umno in the Sindanan branch,” he said.

The registration of  KDM Malaysia as a political party is expected to further fracture the KDM community along political lines.

Some members of the community are already activite supporters of  the Pakatan Rakyat coalition.

“Is this the help that KDM Malaysia gives to BN? … that has to be answered by him,” said Ambrose.

Some of KDM Malaysia’s top council members are also said to be Sabah Umno division leaders, throwing the plan to form another political party from Umno ‘want-outs’ into further confusion.

“They must resign from their posts in the party too if they want to join KDM Malaysia when it is registered as a political party,” said Ambrose.

“Why are these people silent? Is KDM Malaysia represented by only one voice, one person?

“He claims to have many members, but when I went for the judicial review against him, it was revealed that KDM Malaysia only has 100 over members. I still have the receipt from the Registrar of Societies (ROS) with me.”

Friction within Umno?

Ambrose also scoffed at Anthony’s claim that he had five years’ experience, saying: “KDM Malaysia was formed less than four years ago and he was not even a member then. So how can he say he has five years’ experience?”

He said he would inform the state Umno liaison committee that  the intention by KDM Malaysia leaders to form a political party would cause friction in the BN.

“I do not want people to blame me or Umno Penampang for what may happen because Peter is a member of Umno Penampang. So he has to resign,” he said.

Whether KDM Malaysia, after it becomes a political party, will be admitted to BN is left to be seen as it would need the consent of all the ruling coalition members.

PBS president, Josep Pairin Kitingan has already declared his party was against the admittance of a new party into the coalition.

Ambrose also rejected Anthony’s claim that KDM Malaysia could do more than what Umno was already doing to assist students in the native community.

“Umno Penampang has all this while been carrying out programmes to assist the people in the constituency every month but we do not seek publicity for it.

“When you want to help people sincerely you do not need to seek publicity for it.”

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