KOTA KINABALU: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has been always open to discussions with any opposition parties to topple the Barisan Nasional (BN) as victory for the opposition in the 13th general election is not Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) aim alone, but PR plus any political parties.
It is important to have an understanding among opposition parties to fight against the BN government, PKR vice president Fuziah Salleh told reporters here yesterday.
“The Sabah PKR leaders have been very open to discussions and we believe the opposition can stand together to fight BN.
“We have a very clear aim, all of us in the opposition are fighting against BN. Everyone wants the same thing,” said Fuziah who is also Kuantan member of parliament when commenting on a statement by STAR Sabah chairman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan recently.
Jeffrey had said that local opposition parties in Sabah needed to realize the potential of their cooperation because as a united front, they would be able to be kingmakers and to demand for Sabah rights from Kuala Lumpur.
Jeffrey had reiterated STAR’s stance that the party was supportive of the one-to-one formula, which could be achieved, and expressed his concern that negotiations on the matter had been done without mutual consultation and without respect for certain political parties.
He also stressed that if all else failed, and if STAR was not given sufficient opportunity to discuss in negotiations, the party might just have to resort to what he called ‘Plan Z’ or the step as a last resort to face the coming election on their own.
Meanwhile, elaborating on Fuziah’s comments, PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the party had earlier stated that there be power sharing in Sabah where opposition parties should stand together to fight for the main objective, that is, to topple the BN.
When asked which party should make the first move to initiate discussions, Azizah said it should be from both parties because the aim is very clear, together to fight for change in Sabah.