Sabah not free of ‘Malayan’ influence, Upko told

Sabah Umno liaison chief Hajiji Noor reminds Upko acting president Madius Tangau of the influence of ‘Malayan’ parties in the form of PKR and DAP in the state government.

Sabah Umno liaison chairman Hajiji Noor says it is clear Upko is practising double standards. (Youtube screengrab)

KOTA KINABALU: Upko acting president Wilfred Madius Tangau is wrong in claiming there is no influence of “Malayan” parties in the present Sabah state government.

Sabah Umno liaison chairman Hajiji Noor said the current state government was a coalition involving Parti Warisan Sabah, Upko and “Malayan” parties like PKR and DAP.

“Are PKR and DAP not Malayan parties which practise Malayan political culture? It is clear here that Upko is practising double standards.

“Tangau should realise that the people of Sabah are not stupid. We understand why he did it,” he said.

The Sulaman assemblyman said the people know Warisan did not win enough seats in the 14th general election to form the state government by itself.

It could only achieve that by forming a coalition government with PKR and DAP, as well as Upko, which came in later, Hajiji said.

“The present Sabah state government is actually not free of ‘Malayan’ parties and ‘Malayan’ influences, as there are many leaders of PKR and DAP currently holding government posts as ministers and assistant ministers.”

Hajiji was responding to Tangau who told the media that he and Upko ran away from Umno because they wanted to be free of Umno’s grip.

Tangau had said that Upko was now in a comfortable zone as it was no longer bullied and that Upko wanted to follow the Sabah culture and there was no need for the Malayan culture in Sabah, just like in Sarawak.

Hajiji said if Upko and Tangau rejected the Malayan culture, from the political point of view, it should then not have formed a coalition with the Warisan-Pakatan Harapan government.

Tangau, who is Tuaran MP, led Upko out of BN less than 24 hours after the Sabah BN-Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) coalition was sworn in.

This led to the collapse of the coalition and paved the way for the current state government to take over.

The former federal minister was then named one of the four nominated assemblymen by Chief Minister Shafie Apdal. Tangau was subsequently appointed deputy chief minister and trade and industry minister. - FMT