Hajiji Noor’s credibility is at stake, as chairman of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and former chief of Sabah Bersatu, and he should come clean about the conflicting statements that have been made about Bersatu’s status.
On Dec 10, Hajiji had announced that leaders of Sabah Bersatu had quit the party en masse and would be known as GRS members until a new local party is formed.
This move was expected as Sabah Bersatu had thrown its support behind Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government.
Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR), a member of the GRS coalition, had earlier announced it was parting ways with Perikatan Nasional (PN). The mass exodus has begun with more circus acts to come.
Bersatu resignation story doesn’t add up
On Dec 11, former law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, the proponent of the anti-hopping law, said the four Sabah Bersatu MPs who quit the party must vacate their seats in the Dewan Rakyat if their resignations are accepted.
A day later, Wan Junaidi changed tack and said the candidates did not need to vacate their seats as he was informed by various reliable sources that the candidates had resigned from their party in early October before contesting in the general election on a GRS ticket.
Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin had said in October that the party’s Sabah candidates would use the GRS logo when contesting the 15th general election, and the candidate’s success would be counted as a win for Bersatu because GRS was then a part of Perikatan Nasional.
On Nov 2, prior to GE15, Hajiji made the announcement that GRS will be represented by six candidates from Bersatu, Parti Bersatu Sabah (four), STAR (two), and Sabah Progressive Party (one).
Armizan Ali, one of the candidates who won the election on a Bersatu-GRS ticket, issued a statement saying there had been no announcement of the Sabah Bersatu members’ resignation prior to GE15 and said Bersatu did not take action to revoke his membership when he became a member of GRS to contest the Papar seat.
One political observer questioned why the resignations were not announced if indeed the Bersatu MPs had resigned in October, This is tantamount to deceiving the voting public and party members.
Did they also receive political funding from Bersatu or other sources for the election when they contested on a Bersatu-GRS ticket knowing that they would resign from the party in October prior to GE15?
Hajiji should come clean about this as it will cast a bad light on the candidates’ integrity and reputations if the reports of the resignations from Bersatu in October are true.
Concerns about the rise of Political Islam
According to GRS secretary-general Masidi Manjun, the rise of “political Islam” was the main reason for the Sabah Bersatu leaders’ resignation. He added that their decision was made in the best interest of the state and the greater good of Malaysia.
A political activist, Lamlee Hussan, said Marsidi was being hypocritical and there may be other ulterior motives.
First of all, Sabah Bersatu was never concerned about Political Islam.
The Bersatu-led state government was the one who warmly welcomed PAS into the fold and gave them a free nominated seat after the last Sabah state elections, knowing PAS wants to establish an Islamic state and is known for its extremist views.
The appointment of a PAS assemblyman caused a huge outcry among Sabahans who thought the nominated seats should go to deserving persons who can represent Sabah’s interests, especially on women’s affairs and the needy.
Self-interest at the rakyat’s expense
A political observer, Rukiah Zakaria, said this latest situation is a reflection of Sabah’s tumultuous and colourful political history of power grabbing, backstabbing, frogging, and court challenges. It looks like it will continue into the unforeseeable future at the expense of the rakyat.
She said we have spent time, money, and energy in the general election supporting the parties and candidates of our choice and yet our leaders easily switch allegiance without consulting the people and considering what might be the implications.
The government is barely a month old and Bersatu could have waited for the dust to settle before making such a move, putting Sabah in disarray soon after GE15. Is there any point in having elections, Rukiah asked.
Dreams of the Borneo Bloc slipping away
It’s a little too late for former Sabah Bersatu members to talk about forming an all-Sabah party. They should have done it before GE15. Appeals by former PBS president Joseph Pairin Kitingan for a united Borneo bloc and Warisan’s overtures with PBS to form a local party platform fell on deaf ears.
Now former Sabah Bersatu members are forming yet another political party giving people more choice, and at the same time, sowing more disunity in Sabah’s already frayed politics. - FMT
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.
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