DAP told to stop ‘insulting’ local parties
Posted on February 18, 2012, Saturday
KOTA KINABALU: DAP Sabah must stop insulting local parties unless it is DAP’s plot to wipe out all local parties so as to destroy the chance for Sabahans to fight for autonomy as agreed in the 1963 Malaysia Agreement.
“On September 16, 2008, YB Lim Kit Siang announced the Pakatan Plus SAPP formula, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim also made a landmark stand to work with SAPP. Why do Dr Edwin, Tan Kok Wai and some DAP members want to destroy the cooperation among opposition parties? Is it because of their hidden agenda to help Umno as proven at the Batu Sapi by-election?” asked SAPP secretary-general Datuk Richard Yong in a statement, yesterday.
“It is really unfortunate that DAP election bureau chairman Tan Kok Wai have to threaten SAPP. It is even more regrettable to see local DAP leaders starting to talk like their superiors from KL. To them Sabah autonomy is meaningless, and they don’t have any respect for Sabah parties.”
He said SAPP left BN together with leaders who gave up their posts and positions all for the purpose of fighting for more autonomy for Sabah.
On policy framework, SAPP has been supportive of the national opposition agenda for change and Pakatan to pursue Putrajaya.
“On September 5, 2011, Anwar Ibrahim made a landmark statement that Pakatan could negotiate with SAPP and SAPP need not join Pakatan Rakyat in achieving a one-to-one fight against the BN, and subsequent to that, PKR has had several discussions and the progress of cooperation was positive.
“Why must DAP leaders like Tan Kok Wai have to utter threatening remarks that SAPP must join Pakatan, and followed by DAP Sabah secretary Dr Edwin Bosi issuing a statement to belittle and insult SAPP?”
Richard said this kind of statement showed no intention to cooperate but to cause a fight and to create a rift.
“Dr Edwin mentioned about the Batu Sapi by-election. The most bitter part of the election was to see DAP launching a political campaign and attacking only SAPP, and shamelessly celebrating for having beaten SAPP. They appeared to have joined hands with BN to try to wipe out SAPP who had fervently talked about Sabah rights.
“On one hand DAP is insisting that SAPP must join Pakatan, but on the other hand, it is hammering SAPP. They don’t display any basic courtesy. Coming from KL to Sabah, DAP tries to assume the position of boss and not show any respect for Sabah parties. This is why SAPP is emphasizing that Sabah must have more autonomy,” said Richard.
