KOTA KINABALU: PBS president Maximus Ongkili has demanded that Tandek assemblyman Anita Baranting, who defected to Warisan today, vacate her seat and face re-election.
Ongkili asked how Baranting, formerly a PBS vice-president and the Wanita chief, could leave the party that had groomed her to be “the politician she is today”.
“She left without any sign of dissatisfaction and decided to jump ship.
“That’s not the way to best serve the rakyat and Tandek’s electorate. Indeed, that’s not the way to leave a respected legacy of service to the electorate.
“You may choose your political affiliation but if you are an elected member of a political party and wishes to jump, you must resign your seat and go back to the electorate for a new mandate.
“This is the dignified way to serve the people. We urge her to adhere to this honourable practice of integrity,” Ongkili said today.
Ongkili said PBS had trained Baranting to be a model woman leader of integrity.
“She was given the chance to be a PBS and Barisan Nasional election candidate three times, and with the party’s grassroots strength in Tandek, she won the seats thrice.
“In the BN government, PBS gave her the opportunity to be an assistant minister and later full minister in the shortlived Musa Aman’s Cabinet,” he said.
Ongkili said Tandek was a solid PBS stronghold and the party would win it back if a by-election was held.
Earlier today, Baranting announced that she and her Tandek election machinery team decided to join Warisan.
She said they wanted to help the government provide continuous development to the people. - FMT
Ongkili talk kolk! If Anita Baranting were to vacate her seat, than by Malaysian law she will be ineligible to contest in any seat for the next 5 years.. Don't say that Ongkili has suddenly become unintelligent?
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