LDP says no to Umno, will use own flag in Sabah polls

SABAH 2020 | Former BN component party, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), has announced its refusal to work with Umno again and would be using its own flag to contest in the forthcoming Sabah state election on Sept 26.

This means that the BN coalition will face more opponents in the polls, where its former allies have decided to participate as a third force.

Previously, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) had also announced it would be using its own logo, after 16 years of teaming with the BN. 

Speaking to Malaysiakini, LDP president Chin Su Phin said the party will not cooperate with Umno once more, regardless of their results in the coming election.

Since it quit BN in May 2018, Chin said, the LDP had moved towards becoming a multiracial independent party in the Borneo state and wants to provide an alternative choice for Sabahans.

Therefore, it was determined to not turn back to lend support to Umno and BN, he added.

“People are disappointed with the current situation, so we will be the third force. We will provide an alternative for them.

“Even if we win seats, we will not cooperate with Umno,” he stressed.

Chin predicts that the state election will see a tangled up fight as many parties are expected to enter the fray.

Asked whether the LDP would join forces with other parties to expand its influence, he said this could be decided after the election.

“There might be up to six or seven parties contesting in one seat. I think all this (cooperation with other parties) can be decided afterwards."

Chin revealed that his party has decided to contest at least half of the state seats, or about 35 to 40 seats.

“(The seat distribution) is almost done, but we cannot tell the press yet. We will announce it on the nomination day,” he added.

According to Chin, former chief minister Chong Kah Kiat, who is also the former LDP head, will lead the party in the election.

Chin confirmed that he would be contesting in the polls along with Chong, adding that LDP would not only focus on traditional Chinese majority seats but also in the Kadazan bumiputera majority areas such as Keningau, Beaufort and Kudat.

In the last general election, LDP competed for one parliamentary and four state seats but lost in all, prompting it to immediately quit BN after Pakatan Harapan came to federal power.

Currently, Sabah BN comprises Umno, MCA, MIC and PBRS, as Upko and Gerakan have left the coalition.

PBS also left BN after the 2018 general election, but the party is an ally of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) federal government, with its president Maximus Ongkili serving as a minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs). It is not known if PBS will be involved in seat negotiations with PN. 

On July 30, incumbent Chief Minister Shafie Apdal called for snap polls in the state after Governor Juhar Mahiruddin dissolved the Sabah Legislative Assembly upon his advice.

This came after Sungai Sibuga lawmaker Musa Aman (above, right) claimed that he had gained the support of enough assemblypersons to form a new government.

Following the dissolution of the State Legislature, Musa and 32 other state assemblypersons on Aug 6 filed for a judicial review of the governor's decision.

Yesterday, the High Court in Kota Kinabalu had allowed the plaintiff's request for an adjournment in view of new points raised by the Sabah attorney-general.

According to the plaintiff's lawyer, Fuad Tengku Ahmad, he will submit a reply to those points on Wednesday and the hearing would continue on Aug 21.

The Election Commission has fixed Sept 26 for the Sabah state election, with the nominations of candidates set for Sept 12. - Mkini