LABUAN: SAPP’s reluctance to allow peninsula-based parties to contest in the next Sabah election smacks of cowardice and could be due to its failure to win a single election since 2008.
Former Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament Datuk Hiew King Chieu said it appears an acknowledgement that SAPP cannot hope to win any more elections without such “protection”.
“If SAPP is a formidable force like before when Yong was Chief Minister (1996-1998), the party would not be afraid to face candidates from any party,” he said.
Hiew said instead of making a ridiculous proposal, SAPP should focus on rebuilding the party and win the hearts and minds of the people.
“As a lawyer, Yong should also know that it is the constitutional right of any political party to contest in any election anywhere in the country.”
He said the SAPP proposal also meant restricting the choice of voters which was unfair.
On SAPP’s other request that it be allowed to contest under the Hajiji-led Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), Hiew said this needed to be studied carefully as GRS may risk losing the seat that a SAPP candidate contests, considering even Yong himself has lost.
Leaders from Sabah Barisan Nasional, as well as Pakatan Harapan, had criticised SAPP for being in both the GRS, which supports the Federal Government, and in Opposition Perikatan Nasional at the federal level.
Hiew said Yong and SAPP do not seem to appreciate that despite being rejected by Sabahans, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji was still generous and allocated him a Nominated Assemblyman post and chairmanship of POIC, both of which carries lucrative perks.
“Probably it is time for GRS to consider giving it to the more deserving.
“What can opposition Perikatan Nasional offer for him to sit with the enemies of the Unity Government which GRS is part of and him also holding the GRS Deputy Chairman post.
“His loyalty to GRS is also questionable as some may rightly or wrongly see him as being a double agent,”said Hiew.
Meanwhile, GRS Sec-Gen Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said Sabah Progressive Party has to decide whether it wants to be part of the government or the Opposition.
“They (SAPP) need to choose. I think you need to stop ‘main dua kolam’ (playing in two political ponds),” said the State Finance Minister.
“This is so the electorate does not get confused. To me, SAPP should decide.”
Sabah Barisan Chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said SAPP was trying to enjoy both worlds by supporting the government in the State while also wanting to show that it is with the opposition at the national level.
Sabah Wanita MCA Chief Dr Pamela Yong questioned how SAPP could serve the people’s interest when the party was on both sides of the political divide.
Sabah DAP Secretary Phoong Jin Zhe said SAPP was trying to destabilise both the Federal and state governments by sowing discord among GRS and Pakatan.
SAPP is one of the seven component parties of GRS which helms the state government that also includes Sabah Pakatan parties.
It is also part of the Perikatan coalition at the federal level with Yong being the Opposition coalition deputy chairman.
Perikatan has two seats in the 79-member Sabah legislative assembly in Yong and PAS’ Dr Aliakbar Gulasan, both of whom are nominated assemblymen.
Masidi said both Yong and Aliakbar were politically aligned with the state government.
“So far, they have been pro-state government. But I’m not sure if they are pro-Federal Government.
“But don’t forget, they were appointed before the current political situation.
“In a broader sense, this (situation involving SAPP and PAS) was something imposed on us, not something we created,” said Masidi.
During the Sept 26, 2020 Sabah snap election, the GRS, then a loose coalition that included Bersatu, Parti Bersatu Sabah, Sabah Star, SAPP and PAS, worked with Sabah Barisan to unseat the then Parti Warisan-led state government.
After winning the election, the GRS-Barisan government appointed Yong and Aliakbar as two of the six nominated assemblymen.
At the time, Sabah Star and SAPP were also components of Perikatan but Sabah Star withdrew from the coalition after the 2022 general election.
SAPP however decided to remain with Perikatan while also sticking with GRS.
