Putatan MP mulls quitting politics

He can no longer defend the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN).

KOTA KINABALU: Putatan MP Marcus Mojigoh dropped a bombshell during a Chinese New Year walkabout in Tanjung Aru, the scenic international tourist spot in the outskirts of Kota Kinabalu: he’s seriously thinking of quitting politics since he can no longer defend the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN). “I represent the people and I must be able to bring up their concerns.”

Marcus, a three-term MP, added that he’s troubled by the state of politics in the country and Sabah lately and the BN’s “flip-flop” policies which have aroused the people’s anger against the ruling coalition. “If you want to serve in the Government, you must be happy. When one community is too strong at the expense of others, then there’s marginalisation. We are nervous.”

“Let the new generation continue,” said Marcus, who is also Upko vice president, in remarks carried by the local media. “I am not getting any younger. I want to go back to my family.”

“I have done my part.”

He stressed that he would not be seeking re-nomination for the Putatan seat which local Umno leaders have also demanded, once too often, on the grounds that it now had a Muslim majority.

He expressed unhappiness with a host of issues in Sabah ranging from Islamisation in schools to the arrests of SSKM (Sabah Sarawak Keluar Malaysia) volunteers and supporters to Seputeh MP Teresa Kok being denied entry at Sandakan Airport recently. “The people are not happy with the BN especially on culture and religion being imported from the peninsula.”

“It’s people like Ibrahim Ali and leaders of ISMA who are causing racial and religious disunity who should be banned.”

He warned that the confrontational approach taken by BN leaders, as seen in their various statements, left a lot to be desired. “Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak should step in and control the situation.”

“I have 8,000 Chinese voters in my constituency. When Ismail Sabri makes a statement pitting Malay consumers against Chinese traders, it doesn’t help,” he said.

The Federal Government, he urged, should find out why people in Sabah and Sarawak are unhappy with Malaysia and not simply target those who are raising the issue of the Malaysia Agreement 1963. “It’s not an offence for people to sign a Petition to draw attention to their grievances.”