Musa: KDM leaders like Pairin, Madius, Maximus, Kurup, Sabah’s true fighters

Musa Aman (centre, front row) with leaders and delegates from PBS, PBRS and Upko during the parties’ election machinery convention in Kota Kinabalu.

KOTA KINABALU: BN’s Kadazandusun Murut (KDM) leaders are among the true fighters for Sabah’s development and future, Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman said.

This included Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Joseph Pairin Kitingan, United Sabah People’s Party (PBRS) president Joseph Kurup, PBS deputy president Maximus Ongkili and United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) acting president Wilfred Madius Tangau.

Musa questioned Parti Warisan Sabah president Shafie Apdal’s motive for using the slogan “Sabah for Sabahans”.

He said these veteran KDM leaders were the ones who had fought for Sabah all this while, not Shafie.

He accused Shafie of having stolen the battle cry.

Musa was speaking when launching a convention held by PBS, PBRS and Upko here today to prepare their respective election machinery for the 14th general election.

Musa, who is also Sungai Sibuga assemblyman, dismissed claims by Shafie and his party leaders that they had fought for Sabah’s rights.

“He claimed to be fighting for Sabah’s rights but it is these leaders in this room who are actually the fighters for the people’s rights,” he told the convention delegates.

“He’s actually a traitor to our party and our struggle and had disciplinary action taken against him for his conduct.”

Musa said Shafie was arrogant when he was federal rural and regional development minister and was unable to cooperate with the state government.

“He never sat down with me to discuss how his federal ministry would channel allocations to meet Sabah’s needs,” he said

Musa said Shafie was unlike other Sabahan federal ministers like Tangau, Kurup and Ongkili, who always met him to discuss Sabah’s development.

“If he had been open and cooperative with us, I would have gone to Kuala Lumpur to discuss matters arising but this never happened. He was very arrogant.”

Shafie resigned as Umno vice-president after he was removed as minister in 2015 following his criticism of Prime Minister Najib Razak’s handling of the 1MDB issue.

Shafie, who is the Semporna MP, subsequently formed Warisan.

Musa, who is Sabah BN chairman, said many projects in the state had faced problems when Shafie was a minister.

“One district officer, for example, told me his area had lampposts but no power,” he said.

“I only knew about this after the district officer directly gave me this feedback.

“Definitely, Shafie must have known this but what did he do to rectify the problem?”

Musa urged the BN component parties’ election machinery to work hard to dispel whatever lies propagated by the opposition.

“We must go to the ground and use social media to let the people see the truth.” -FMT