KOTA KINABALU: Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders, particulary in Sabah, have been asked to first get their act right before asking for Sabah Progressive Party’s (SAPP) cooperation in having a one-on-one fight with the Barisan Nasional (BN) in the next general election.
SAPP Api Api CLC chief Datuk David Chong said SAPP had been a strong proponent of the one-on-one concept between the opposition and the BN in all constituencies in the state.
“We are ready to go for a roundtable discussion to negotiate this prospect,” he said in responding to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Api Api chief Christina Liew’s recent statement on the matter.
Liew had asked SAPP to state its stand on creating a straight fight situation in the 13th general rlection, particularly in Sabah and SAPP should be cooperating with PR in order to make this work.
Chong reckoned that the PR must first specify their leader authorised to speak on the issue and discuss with SAPP on the allocation of seats for the opposition.
“I want to ask who is the PR leader given the power and authority to discuss or negotiate with SAPP? If there is no authority I suggest that PR leaders better stop talking about the matter in the newspapers.
“Because we now hear so many leaders from the PR talking about this but we don’t know who really represent the Pakatan. We also have one leader saying this while another saying another thing.
“One leader said they agree and another said they don’t agree. So which is which … this is only confusing the people,” he said.
Chong advised PR leaders in Sabah to go back to their bosses in Kuala Lumpur and ask them about the issue before making such statement.
“Because I was made to understand that PR leaders in Sabah here have no authority to talk as they too have to wait for Kuala Lumpur’s directive,” he said.
Nonetheless, Chong said SAPP’s doors are always open to those who believe in fighting for the Sabahans and Sabah autonomy.
“As Sabahans you should also care about the rights of Sabahans who are Malaysian citizens in the state. SAPP’s door is open to welcome you to negotiate the matter,” he said.
Chong said that in order to topple the BN government, it was imperative that the opposition be united and work together, including having the one-on-one fight with BN.
“We want (Pakatan) leaders who are authorised (to negotiate) and sincere otherwise don’t waste time to issue statements,” he said, adding that the 13th general election is expected to be very soon, so the opposition must be ready for roundtable negotiation.