KOTA KINABALU: Amir Kahar Mustapha, an influential Sabah Umno leader, has thrown his hat into the ring of election contenders, though the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition has yet to make known its list of candidates.
The quiet Bajau-Suluk leader yesterday quit his post as Inspector-General of Projects, a state government appointment with ministerial status specially created for him but with little power.
The son of Sabah strongman and the state’s first Yang di-Pertua Negara Mustapha Harun, Amir Kahar was briefly a former deputy chief minister in the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) government which ruled from 1985 to 1994.
He was Banggi assemblyman for 22 years until he was dropped by Umno in 2008 and replaced with little known Mijul Unaini.
His decision does not come as a surprise though it now looks he may have to go against BN in the northern-most seat in Sabah either on an independent or opposition platform.
“I have sent my resignation letter to the Chief Minister’s Department,” he said without naming Chief Minister Musa Aman.
“I would be contesting in the coming election. I will make the announcement soon [under which party to contest]. I have decided to contest again after almost a five-year break because I believed I can still deliver and serve the people,” he was quoted by a local newspaper as saying today.
He was also in the news recently trying to seek a solution to the stand-off at Kampung Tanduo in Lahad Datu after a group of armed Filipinos invaded and took over the village, sparking a security crisis in the east coast of the state.
It is not known what made Amir Kahar decide to announce his own candidacy yesterday, but insiders had been claiming he is unhappy with Umno and its handling of Sabah issues lately.
He is rumoured to have held talks with Jeffrey Kitingan of the State Reform Party (STAR) only weeks ago, but his supporters also claim that he has also spoken to Pakatan Rakyat coalition member PKR.
If he decides to join the national opposition front it would be another blow for Jeffrey who has struggled to shore up his fledgling STAR, which in recent weeks had seen a drop in support in contrast with the now surging PKR.
The peninsula-based PKR is coming in strong ahead of the impending general election that many see as the possible end of the BN regime at the federal level.
The reluctance of local opposition or independent-leaning politicians to join fiercely “local” parties such as STAR and the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), which some see as practising provincial politics, is expected to force a change in the divide-and-rule election strategies successfully adopted by the BN in the past. (FMT)
Sunday, April 7, 2013
SABAH UMNO STRONGMAN DEFIES MUSA
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Yes better vote for PR rather than everlasting party i.e UMNO BN. Hopefully don't chose Amir as a candidate for P R select more qualified person i.e degree holder.
ReplyDeleteSabah bertuah kerana dipimpin oleh Datuk Seri Musa Hj. Aman yang bijak mengurus kewangan negeri.
ReplyDeleteKetua Menteri Sabah juga seorang yang bervisi jauh dan selalu mendidik anggota Umno supaya ikhlas dalam perjuangan.
ReplyDeletekepimpinan Ketua Menteri dapat dilihat melalui kestabilan ekonomi di
ReplyDeletenegeri itu, antaranya harga hartanah sentiasa meningkat dan Bajet Negeri
2013 yang terbaik dengan peruntukan RM4.088 bilion.
Selain itu, dengan pengurusan kewangan yang baik, pendapatan kerajaan
ReplyDeletekonsisten RM3.8 bilion setiap tahun (2009-2012), rizab wang RM3 billion,
Laporan Perbendaharaan Negara (AG): Sabah pengurusan kewangan terbaik
dan berjaya mendapat anugerah Clean Bill selama 12 tahun berturut-turut.
Pengurusan kewangan yang cemerlang juga berjaya menarik ramai pelabur
ReplyDeletedatang ke Sabah. Setakat Jun 2012, 24 syarikat diluluskan untuk melabur
di Sabah dengan nilai pelaburan RM4.86 bilion yang pastinya akan
mewujudkan banyak peluang pekerjaan baru,
Pemuda Sabah akan terus menyokong kepimpinan Ketua Menteri dan Perdana
ReplyDeleteMenteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak kerana mampu mentransformasikan
negara, politik Umno/ Barisan Nasional (BN) dan landskap politik negara.
menyeru Pemuda Sabah supaya bekerja habis-habisan untuk memastikan
ReplyDeletekememangan besar BN, pada pilihan raya akan datang seterusnya
mengekalkan kepimpinan negeri dan negara sedia ada.
jentera pilihan raya terutamanya Pemuda Umno Sabah kini telah bersiap
ReplyDeletesedia untuk berperang pada Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13 (PRU-13)
Sabah akan kekal simpanan tetap BN berdasarkan kepimpinan Ketua Menteri
ReplyDeleteyang kukuh dan sokongan padu semua parti komponen BN di negeri itu.
pembangkang hanya tahu menabur janji kepada rakyat tetapi tidak dapat menunaikannya.
ReplyDeletePembangkang hanya pandai berbohong dan menipu rakyat. harap rakyat
ReplyDeletebijak menilai dan seterusnya menyokong BN pada pilihan raya akan datang
Ramai pemimpin pembangkang yang hanya sekarang kerap kali datang ke
ReplyDeleteSabah untuk berkempen berjanji bulan dan bintang, semata-mata mahu
meraih simpati daripada rakyat
Klon pembangkang yang baru pula, dulu dalam kerajaan tidak komplen
ReplyDeletesekarang luar kerajaan baru kuat komplen ibarat meludah ke langit
terkena muka sendiri.
Datuk
ReplyDeleteSeri Musa seorang tokoh yang begitu berpengalaman dan dihormati ahli
UMNO seluruh Malaysia kerana sikapnya yang peramah dan tegas, amat tidak
benar jika ada pihak yang mengatakan bahawa Datuk Seri Musa tidak
mempunyai pengaruh. Beliau mempunyai pengaruh yang amat besar, jasa dan
sumbangan beliau terhadap USNO dan UMNO perlu dikenang.
Ketua Menteri Datuk Seri Musa Aman yakin Barisan Nasional (BN) Sabah
ReplyDeleteakan meraih kemenangan besar dalam pilihan raya umum ke-13 (PRU-13)
nanti seperti yang dicatatkan dalam pilihan raya umum 2008.
Beliau berkata walaupun BN dijangka menghadapi tentangan hebat daripada
ReplyDeleteparti pembangkang pada pilihan raya umum kali ini namun dengan
kesepaduan dan kesefahaman yang amat jitu, pastinya BN Sabah mampu
mengulangi kecemerlangan itu.
Musa mengingatkan rakyat Sabah agar tidak terpedaya dengan kempen
ReplyDeletepembangkang yang terus mengkritik kerajaan semata-mata untuk meraih
sokongan rakyat.
Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) will field some ‘new faces’ at the upcoming general election.
ReplyDeleteChief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman said the list of candidates had been finalised and submitted to the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) for approval.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking to reporters after launching the ‘Astro Kasih Beautiful Malaysia Guinness World Records’ programme at Gayana Eco Resort here yesterday, he also said the Sabah BN manifesto to be launched soon was one that aimed to bring about peace, harmony and prosperity for the people.
ReplyDelete“In fact ours will be the same as the national BN manifesto,” said Musa who is also Sabah BN chief.
ReplyDeleteAnd according to him, Sabah BN had been working hard in preparing for this election.
All BN component parties, he added, were working closely and making concerted efforts to ensure victory.
“What is important is that we are able to prove to the people the promises fulfilled by the BN all this while. We are fortunate that the country has a Prime Minister who cares for the needs and well-being of the people,” Musa said.
ReplyDeleteThe Chief Minister said Sabah had never been left behind as reflected in the assistance provided by the Federal government to ensure the people of this State could live comfortably and peacefully.
ReplyDeleterakyat sabah sudah pasti akan memilih BN pada pru 13 ini disebabkan oleh ketelusan dan keikhlasan BN untuk membangunkan negeri sabah dan mensejahterakan kehidupan rakyat sabah..
ReplyDeleteThose who remember GE12 will recall that as the polls approached, the pace and frenzy of news stories increased appreciably. GE13 is shaping up to make GE12 look leisurely by comparison.
ReplyDeleteThis reflects a number of factors and trends, and in many ways marks Malaysia's continued growth as a mature democracy. The rakyat are now faced with two coalitions who have effective means of communicating their policies, candidates, and messages to the whole of Malaysia, and who have been preparing for this moment for five years.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most obvious influences in this increasing deluge of information is of course social media. Discussed in another piece in The Choice today, it is remarkable to compare social media's influence now as against 2008. Twitter and Facebook were then only on the cusp of their media-changing importance. SMS was a rapid means of communication, but hardly the monster it has become. A story then might spread a dozen ways, where there are now hundreds.
ReplyDeleteYet the larger factor is that both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat are treating this election as if it was their last.
ReplyDeleteWhile one might note that Anwar is aiding Najib in using BN's greatest weapon – Najib – the truth is that Anwar is treating this election no less seriously, if not so effectively. He has picked up his legendary ceramah schedule to the point at which one must marvel at modern medicine's ability to completely regenerate an injured back. Even though this has stung him already – his ceramah in Perak last week where he promised to contest there is now being glibly used by the state BN to sting Pakatan – Anwar knows only one way to campaign, and he is determined to do so.
ReplyDeleteWith a truly national election, ceaseless use of social media, two determined coalitions and only a short time before polls, GE12 seems a distant memory.
ReplyDeleteSemua pemimpin parti komponen BN Sabah yakin negeri ini kekal simpanan tetap BN pada PRU13.Keyakinan itu berdasarkan sokongan padu dan kepercayaan rakyat yang semakin memihak kepada BN.
ReplyDeleteRakyat di negeri ini tiada pilihan selain daripada memastikan negeri Sabah kekal kepada BN untuk kesinambungan pembangunan dan jaminan keselamatan, keamanan dan kesejahteraan rakyat.
ReplyDeletePOIC Sabah had ‘gone out on a limb’ to secure the supply to bring about some semblance of framework and price mechanism.
ReplyDeleteSabah should rightfully take the lead as it is the largest palm oil producing state in the country.
ReplyDeleteWhile declining to disclose prices and details of its procurement mechanism, Dr Pang said POIC Sabah’s main aim in being the procurer of EFB is to inject confidence among the investor community.
ReplyDeleteThe investors are out there waiting to get their hands on EFB, but they have not been able to do so because of the unregulated environment.
ReplyDeleteOil palm contributes to over 40 per cent of Sabah’s GDP income and is set to grow in significance with mechanisation, higher FFB yield and better OER.
ReplyDeleteIt will promote closer trade in goods and services and greater investments. According to Kupa, the negotiations are expected to be concluded by year’s end.
ReplyDeleteThe balance of trade is in Malaysia’s favour by three times. The two-way trade grossed RM43.4 billion for 2009.
ReplyDeleteOn its trade ties with Sabah, the High Commissioner conceded it was difficult to tabulate as the goods might be through Port Klang and Singapore.
ReplyDeleteKupa noted that 36,000 Australians came to Sabah in 2010. How much Sabah earned in foreign exchange from these arrivals was significant depending on how much each of them spent here .
ReplyDeleteSabah has very close historical and cultural ties with Australia. Soon after taking up his appointment in Kuala Lumpur, Kupa came to visit Sabah.
ReplyDeleteThe Sabah-Australia link dates back to World War Two. Last year its Governor-General Quentin Bryce took part in the Sandakan-Ranau death march.
ReplyDeleteKupa held up former Sabahan Penny Wong who is Australia’s finance minister as among those who had made their mark in Australia. These are 23,000 Malaysia studying in Australian tertiary institutions of higher learning. Many of them have settled down there.
ReplyDeleteAustralia is also involved in the transfer of technology in meat processing in Sabah.
ReplyDeleteAn Australia company had a RMl20 million biodiesel plant in the POIC Lahad Datu. As foreign direct investments have become very competitive, Australia Senior Trade Commissioner Paul Martins suggested Sabah create infrastructure projects to attract investors”.
ReplyDelete