Lajim wants no comparisons with Shafie Apdal

He says he has been fighting for Sabah rights since 1985 while others have only joined the fight recently.

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah president Lajim Ukin feels there’s no basis for comparison between him and Shafie Apdal who is also pushing for Sabah rights.

The Daily Express quoted Lajim as saying the Parti Warisan Sabah president had only taken up Sabah rights recently.

The Harapan chief added in a statement that he had been a “true blue fighter for Sabah rights since 1985” when he left Berjaya to join the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS). “I was against bad government and bad leadership,” he said.

He left as deputy federal Minister in 2012 “to fight Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN)”. Others, he added, only emerged purportedly to fight for Sabah after they had been sacked as minister or suspended by Umno.

The Harapan leader said he would not stick around in politics for ever. “I am already 61,” he said. “While I am considered still young, I wish for the younger ones to lead.”

Delving into his history of moving from party to party, he defended it as part of serving the people. “I did it for the rakyat,” said Lajim who is also Janang Gayuh, paramount chief of the Bisaya. “I want opportunities for everyone irrespective of religion, race and political affiliation.”

Lajim joined PKR in 2012, but quit the party last year. Previously he was with Umno where he was a supreme council member.

He also served as the federal deputy minister of housing and local government.
He explained that he did not leave PKR for himself. “I left because the people want freedom to chart their own future, build their own homes and hold the keys,” said Lajim, in recalling his 31 years in public service.

If he was doing things for himself, he would not have quit as deputy federal minister. “I had loads of benefits,” he said.

Lajim went on to say that he had only one house in Kota Kinabalu, unlike others who had many properties. FMT