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PKR is going for 12 seats in this election, 5 more than the last State election. However, PKR is also competing for the Moyog and Bandau  seats this time around which has been allocated to the GRS.

The Sabah PKR Chief Mustapha Sakmud has been quoted as saying he hoped that the “people will vote for an Anwar Ibrahim representative” in seats they are going for. 

Therefore  we can assume that the PKR candidate in Moyog,  Remysta Taylor is also an “Anwar representative” put in there to take on the GRS candidate Joeynodd Bansin. 

Likewise in Bandau where the GRS candidate, Redonah Bahanda, has to face yet another “Anwar representative” candidate in Zahidi Jatil. 

Even in Silam the PKR candidate Abdul Halim was picked to stand against the GRS candidate, Mizma Appehdullah. 

However, this will now not happen because the PKR candidate has withdrawn from the election.

Seen in totality, and in my humble opinion, Mustapha would have done better if he had said that he hopes people will choose the PKR/PH/ GRS candidate instead of an “Anwar representative “.

Perhaps Mustapha Sakmud felt that selling PMX Anwar as a “brand” would show the voters  that they can be assured of greater things to come in the areas they are contesting since Anwar is the current Prime Minister. 

Perhaps Mustapha was subtlety drawing a line between PKR and GRS. Perhaps he was showing the real intent of PKR in this coming State election. 

Or perhaps, he could even be laying the groundwork for BN supporters to cast their vote in favor of an “Anwar Ibrahim” representative at the expense of all other candidates. 

We will never know the real intent or reason for wanting to sell PMX’s name as opposed to selling a PH/GRS brand as a united front. It is conjecture at the moment but it makes you think.

I guess the DAP could also say that they hope that an “Anthony Loke representative” be chosen in Kemabong where the GRS candidate Rubin Balang has to face DAP’s Noorita Sual. 

As in the case of Moyog, Bandau, Kemabong and Silam the same “team players” under the Harapan brand were obviously prepared to back stab one another. How sad.

But what about CM Hajiji Nor? He is the leader of GRS who has been constantly reminding voters just how important it is to have close ties with the Federal leadership? 

Can and should Hajiji also draw a line of distinction between his GRS candidates and the others? 

Surely in this State election, the name of Hajiji is of equal importance to Anwar, if not, more significant.

Anyway, come the night of the 29th November, we will know if the name of Anwar has made a big impact on the voters in Sabah. 

Should the PKR candidates fail to deliver, the opposition would be more than happy to say that they defeated an “Anawar Ibrahim representative” and that would reflect badly on the image of the PMX.  

We will know whether Mustapha’s plan to sell the name of Anwar instead of PH/GRS has made a difference.

Bottom line is this. If an “Anwar Ibrahim’s representative” wins then the victorious candidate is beholden to Anwar Ibrahim and not to Hajiji or GRS.

My view is that this is a dangerous stance. If you want to stand in the Sabah State election you ought to be (as a Sabahan,) beholden to your own State and its leaders.

Anwar may be your Party boss but your loyalty to your State is of paramount importance. After all, if tomorrow Zahid Hamidi became the next PM of Malaysia and he is not your party boss, where would your loyalty lie in this case? To Zahid of Umno or to Hajiji of GRS should he be retained as the CM of Sabah?

If you need to ride on the name of Anwar Ibrahim to sell yourself to the voters in your area, it shows you are lacking  self confidence.

Why bother being a “calon” then when you have to depend on the politics of patronage?

Finally, to the PKR divisional leader in Api Api Madam Grace Lee, who was ignored and bypassed as a candidate in this election, your effort at defeating Christina Liew for the Api Api leadership division is part and parcel of politics. 

It is not how popular you are at the grassroots level. More importantly, it is how much value is placed on you by your party bosses.

Rupert Augustin

The views expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the Daily Express. If you have something to share, write to us at: Forum@dailyexpress.com.my