Less than 24 hours to nomination day and in-fighting within PBS may see some local branches board up their operations.
This follows the alleged removal of at least two individuals from the final candidates list apparently under pressure from a rival faction.
It is claimed that the individuals were removed from the list, despite having already obtained endorsement by caretaker Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
Although the situation was remedied yesterday, with the reinstatement of Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association treasurer-general Joseph Latip and New Straits Times Sabah and Sarawak regional editor Joniston Bangkiau as candidates for Inanam and Kiulu respectively, things took a turn for the worse today.
This morning, supreme council member Jornah Mozihim (left) announced that she has quit the party, due to disillusionment with the leadership of president Joseph Pairin Kitingan.
This resulted in her not making the final candidate list, to contest Matunggong in the place of incumbent Sarapin Magana.
Met at her home near Penampang today, she claimed that since the announcement she has received calls from branch leaders claiming that they would boycott the BN campaign.
“They called me to say that they are dissolving their branches, even before I announced my decision to quit the party.
“I don’t want to mention how many (branches) but I believe more will do so,” she said.
She has also resigned from her post as the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association woman’s bureau chairperson, as well as other posts.
Pairin (centre, shaking hands with Joniston) is the Huguan Siou (paramount leader) of the Kadazan Dusun community.
“I have lost confidence in the top leadership of PBS. Now (PBS deputy chief) Maximus Ongkili is controlling PBS and the president is just a ‘yes man’ to him, even to the detriment of the party,” she said.
Maximus, the incumbent for Kota Marudu where the Matunggong state constituency is located, is also Pairin’s nephew.
Jornah claimed that Pairin himself had informed her last month that her name is on the list sent to Kuala Lumpur for endorsement and that no one else was proposed for Matunggong.
Two left out
She said that she is confident that Pairin did not lie to her about this, and that she was made to understand that her name was still endorsed by Najib.
Jornah, who claims to command grassroots support in Matunggong, is not the only one who is facing the same conundrum.
She claimed that secretary-general Henrynus Amin was also allegedly on the ‘Najib list’ for Kundasang, but Pairin announced that incumbent Joachim Gunsalam will defend the seat.
Jornah, who contested and won the Matunggong seat in 2004, said that she had stayed and campaigned for Serapin despite being sidelined in 2008.
However, she believes that Serapin will not be able to retain his seat this time around as his character has turned off even PBS supporters who have exited the local division in the hundreds since 2010.
Although she has been courted by the opposition, she said she will not contest the polls, not even as an Independent.
But she will be in Matunggong to campaign, but for whom?
“There will be a surprise,” she said.
Malaysiakini’s calls and text message to Maximus were not answered.
However, PBS presented a united front at a press conference to announce the last-minute change of candidates favouring Joseph and Joniston yesterday.
PBS is contesting 12 state seats and four parliamentary seats. -MK
Friday, April 19, 2013
PBS in-fighting may see branches close shop
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Member of a political party who quit the party just because of not being chosen as an election candadate is not a true leader. He or she is fighting for his or her own interest.
ReplyDeletetapii ada candidate yang menjalankan tugas tetap di gugurkan...fikir fikirkan
ReplyDeletePerjuangan seorang pemimpin tidak terhad kepada menjadi calon sahaja tetapi juga harus mempastikan calon yang telah dipilih dberi sokongan padu oleh pemimpin berkenaan. Kesetiaan kepada parti amat penting. Pengguguran dari dicalonkan mungkin juga itu merupakan strategi parti dalam menghadapi calon lawan.
ReplyDeleteDatuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili menyifatkan tindakan bekas Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Matunggong, Jornah Mazahim menyertai pembangkang kerana tidak terpilih sebagai calon Barisan Nasional (BN) sebagai sesuatu yang "malang".
ReplyDeleteTimbalan presiden Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) itu berkata, perbuatan berkenaan menunjukkan Jornah lebih mengutamakan kepentingan peribadi daripada parti.
ReplyDeleteparti itu memilih penyandang Sarapin Magana untuk bertanding pada Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-13 (PRU13) kerana beliau "dengan jelas adalah calon boleh menang dan mendapat sokongan akar umbi", jika dilihat bahawa Jornah hanya menerima 26 undi berbanding Sarapin sebanyak 162 undi bagi jawatan ketua bahagian Matunggong pada pemilihan parti itu tahun lalu.
ReplyDelete"Perdana menteri meluluskan Sarapin Magana sebagai calon BN bagi Matunggong, seperti yang dicadang presiden parti (Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan), dan namanya (Sarapin) terkandung dalam surat kelulusan untuk menggunakan simbol BN pada pilihan raya kali ini," kata Ongkili ketika melancarkan manifesto BN bagi kawasan parlimen Kota Marudu
ReplyDeleteOngkili, yang juga Menteri Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi, mempertahankan kerusi parlimen Kota Marudu yang turut ditandingi tiga calon lain.
ReplyDeletePada Pilihan Raya Umum 2008, Ongkili memenangi kerusi itu dengan majoriti 4,198 undi
ReplyDeletesamada pencalonan Pairin dan Najib sebagai 'winnable candidate' kita tunggu sahaja nanti
ReplyDeletetentunya keputusan PRU13 nanti akan memberi 'surprise' kepada semua...
ReplyDeletekerajaan Sabah BN dipimpin Musa tidak perlu ditukar kerana ia berjaya mewujudkan Sabah yang aman, maju, selamat di samping memberi keselesaan kepada rakyat Sabah..
ReplyDeleteSelama mana BN mentadbir kerajaan di Pusat atau Sabah, kita sendiri boleh menilai...
ReplyDelete..banyak peluang pekerjaan disediakan bahkan berjaya manarik banyak pelabur supaya ekonomi menjadi lebih baik.
ReplyDeletecalon2 PBS bukan calang2 orang, rakyat rakyat pasti beri sokongan kepada PBS
ReplyDeleteCalon PBS adalah yang terbaik.
ReplyDeleteSuasana relatif tenang di Sabah dalam tempoh 10 tahun lepas, yang sebelum itu terkenal sebagai negeri yang sering dilanda pergolakan politik, sebahagian besarnya adalah hasil daripada keikhlasan Pairin dalam membawa kembali PBS ke pangkuan Barisan Nasional (BN) pada 2002 setelah PBS meninggalkan gabungan parti pemerintah itu pada 1990.
ReplyDeleteDari sudut kewartawanan, Pairin, yang juga Huguan Siou (pemimpin tertinggi) masyarakat Kadazandusun Murut, dianggap melakar pencapaian cemerlang, khususnya dalam bidang politik.
ReplyDeleteTiada seorang pun ahli politik Sabah, yang melakar impak begitu besar di negeri ini, selain Pairin.-Datuk Seri Azman Ujang
ReplyDelete"Beliau adalah seorang pemimpin dan pejuang politik, malah seorang ahli politik budiman, yang bermain politik mengikut peraturannya, hasil latihan yang diterimanya sebagai peguam. PBS, sebagai komponen utama dalam kerajaan negeri, terus berpengaruh seperi biasa."
ReplyDeleteSebagai presiden sebuah parti komponen utama BN negeri, Pairin memainkan peranan penting sebagai faktor penyatu sepanjang yang melibatkan kepentingan masyarakat Kadazandusun Murut.-Wartawan veteran Sabah, Emin Madi.
ReplyDeletePairin juga sentiasa pempamerkan gaya kepimpinan sederhana 'yang bukan sahaja memenuhi inspirasi sebahagian besar masyarakat KDM, tetapi juga menepati konsep perkongsian kuasa yang diamalkan kerajaan BN Sabah, yang diterajui Ketua Menteri Datuk Seri Musa Aman.
ReplyDeleteLast year, SMEs’ value-added growth was projected to expand between 8.0 and 8.5 per cent, while the overall economy is projected to grow at seven per cent.
ReplyDeleteFrom 2004 until 2009, the value added growth of SMEs has consistently outperformed that of the overall economy, averaging at an annual rate of 6.3 per cent compared to 4.5 per cent for the country’s overall GDP growth.
ReplyDeleteChief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman has invited China investors to come to Sabah, saying the state has a lot to offer.
ReplyDeleteMusa said the visit was an honour to the state and has enhanced the good relations which already existed between Malaysia and China.
ReplyDeletemore exchanges could, be developed including through investments, education and other socio-economic sectors to strengthen bilateral relations.
ReplyDelete