KIMANIS: Karim Bujang, the Warisan candidate in the Kimanis by-election here on Saturday, has made a plea to voters, asking them to forget his faults and folly while he was assemblyman for Bongawan.
Karim, who held the Bongawan seat for five terms, made the plea as his campaign came under heavy criticism for allegedly having sidelined non-Muslim bumiputeras while he held office.
“I was a ‘wakil rakyat’ here before and I am sorry if I have ever been rude and did not care about all of you,” he said to residents of Kampung Matujung at a meet-the-people session with Upko today.
“If you are angry at Karim Bujang, I apologise. Let’s open a new page and start anew,” he said.
Karim had come under attack yesterday from Membakut district chief Tay Jock Liang who accused him of having sidelined the KadazanDusun-Murut in the 1990s.
Tay had said at a Barisan Nasional election rally that Karim did not appoint anyone from the KDM community to the district council or as grassroots leaders, and had instead replaced the multi-racial administrative structure with only his men.
Tay said the native communities had gone through dark times when Karim was the assemblyman.
Speaking to reporters today, Karim denied the allegation. He said he had won votes in most of the KDM polling areas in Kimanis at the 2018 general election, and said local natives had been strong supporters.
Karim said that he knew Tay well, and accused Tay of “suddenly becoming a changed man” after Barisan Nasional leaders had met with him. He said Tay’s attack would not disrupt his campaign.
Political observers believe that Karim’s past track record could cost him votes from the KDM community, who account for 41% of the 29,644 voters in Kimanis.
Karim also brushed off former Prime Minister Najib Razak’s description of him being an “old horse.”
He said he and Najib were the same age, but Najib had been feeding on “Mongolian grass” – a reference to murdered Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu who had been linked to Najib.
Karim said that he, instead, had fed on “Ambuyat” , a local delicacy made out of sago. - FMT
surah ash shams bangla ।সূরা শামস।noor
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