KOTA KINABALU— After Upko, the Sabah Liberal Democratic Party announced today its plan to exit Barisan Nasional (BN), as it tries to cling on to power in Sabah.
Party president Datuk Teo Chee Kang said their defeat in four state and one parliamentary seat contested in the 14th general election was a clear rejection by voters.
“Malaysians have spoken with their votes. Taking heed of the clear message that Malaysians want a change in the regime, I discussed with the majority of my supreme council members and the general consensus is to take a step back and pull out from BN.
“As such, I have called for an emergency supreme council meeting at the party headquarters at 8pm tonight to endorse and formalise the decision, and to determine how the party should chart our journey from here,” he said in a statement.
The departure will not affect the ongoing tussle for the state administration as the party failed to secure any seats in the poll.
Teo, who lost the Tanjung Kapor state seat to Warisan’s Chong Chen Bin by 2,992 votes, said he will refuse any position in the present Sabah state government, given the current circumstances.
Sabah, long considered a vote bank for the BN, chose to reject the coalition and voted out many of its senior leaders.
BN was still able to form the state government yesterday, however, with the help of Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan’s STAR that previously campaigned as part of the Opposition.
Shafie at Sabah palace with five BN defectors, change of govt imminent
KOTA KINABALU,— Barisan Nasional (BN) is in danger of losing Sabah today.
Just hours after state BN leader Tan Sri Musa Aman was sworn in as chief minister sparking protests on the streets, sources from the state’s single largest Opposition party, Parti Warisan Sabah claimed to have five BN assemblymen who have switched sides.
A party source said that Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal is at the state palace with the three Upko and two Umno defecting assemblymen to seek an audience with the head of state.
“He has the five BN assemblymen confirming they are jumping ship,” said the insider on condition of anonymity.
The expected defectors are Tanjung Batu’s Datuk Hamisah Samat and Sebatik’s Datuk Abdul Muis Picho along with Kadamaian’s Ewon Benedick, Paginatan’s Datuk Abidin Madingkir and Nabawan’s Datuk Bobby AhFang Suan, who are from Upko.
Balung’s Datuk Osman Jamal from Umno is also expected to defect.
Warisan and Pakatan Harapan state assemblymen have gathered at Shafie’s house to await the announcement.
Police roadblocks have been set up at the entrance to Jalan Istana, preventing vehicles from entering the state palace.
Yesterday, Sabah BN component Upko said they were joining Warisan. Another party, Liberal Democratic Party followed suit today
Warisan currently has 29 state seats, while BN and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) together have 31.
MALAY MAIL
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