Sepanggar, Putatan seats not for me – Dompok

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SEPANGGAR: United Pasokmomogun KadazanDusun Murut Organization (UPKO) president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok has declined a suggestion that he contests the Sepanggar parliamentary seat in the 13th general election and also quashed rumours that he will contest the Putatan parliamentary seat.

“Today, UPKO Sepanggar division chief Datuk Steven Kutai suggested that I should stand in the parliamentary seat here in the coming election. I want to put this to rest and today I am saying that this request cannot be fulfilled because I ‘belong to someone else’,” the Penamapang Member of Parliament said.

“The same goes to talk that I will be contesting the Putatan,” Dompok said when officiating at UPKO Sepanggar delegates convention yesterday.

On the division’s resolution that UPKO be given the opportunity to represent Barisan Nasional (BN) in Sepanggar in the 13th general election, Dompok said it is not wrong to make the request as Malaysia is a democratic country.

Sepanggar, according to the Plantation Industry and Commodities Minister, is a BN stronghold and many of the coalition’s parties have indicated their interest to contest in the constituency.

“It is not wrong to request because we are in a democracy. Requests are the norm when it is election time and there are time even seats which are held by a component party will also be requested by another party.

“For instance, UPKO seats that we have in ‘our pocket’ are being requested for. But it is up to the BN central leadership to decide which party should get the seats, not only in Sepanggar but also the other constituencies,” he said.

Among aspects the BN leadership must consider when making its decision is the involvement of a particular party in the area, he said, adding that from the aspect of support, UPKO is not wrong in requesting for the Sepanggar seat.

While asking UPKO Sepanggar members to be patient and to abide by whatever decision the BN central leadership makes, Dompok said the party must show the leadership and readiness to lead in the constituency.

In his speech, Dompok said he was glad to see the representatives from the BN component parties attending the opening ceremony as it speaks volumes of the unity in the coalition.

“This is what I have been telling the UPKO conventions I have officiated, that I want to see the cooperation between UPKO and its fellow members in BN to continue as it strengthens the coalition,” he said.

Unity, he stressed, is important and it is BN’s strength, adding that the opposition is doing its best to show that they are united in Pakatan Rakyat because there are factions there which do not agree with their leadership.

Dompok also spoke about the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the presence of illegal immigrants in Sabah and how some quarters are already criticizing the Commission even though they have just started their work.

“My foray in politics started in the 80’s and I noticed then the problem with the presence of illegal immigrants in Sabah and the implications on the state’s economy, culture and security among others.

“Do we want a continued situation where foreigners enter Sabah illegally and some of then become Malaysian citizens through dubious means? It is because we do not want this to continue that the Royal Commission of Inquiry was formed… to get to the bottom of the problem and to find a solution to resolve it once and for all.

“So I say, let the Commission finish its work and I also urge those who have proof of the negative implications the presence of illegal immigrants have on the state as well cases of foreigners getting citizenship through dubious means to come forward with their information to the Commission,” he said.

He also urged the people not to belittle the Commission as it is appointed by the Agong and therefore is the highest authority in the country.

On the ‘hudud’ law, Dompok said that although some people think it is a sensitive issue, he feels it is not wrong for him to talk about it because he has family members who are Muslim.

“And because we live in a multi religious and multi-racial country, what happens in when the ‘hudud’ is implemented will affect us all. Like what former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed said in the newspapers today, that this is an unfair system.

“To me what is really unfair is when it is enforced on those who are not Muslims but their MyKad says differently. I know some people who are not Muslims but because of technical problems, their Identity Cards says differently.

“So when an offence is committed by these individuals who are not Muslims, will they be punished according to the hudud law?  If their hand is cut off as punishment and only after that it is confirmed that they are not Muslim how can you re-attach their hand?

“So to me this is not good and I object this as a system that is not good and is against the country’s constitution,” he stressed.

Dompok also said that there is no reason why Sabahans don’t give BN the mandate to continue governing the country and that there is also no reason why constituents in Sepanggar do not continue to support UPKO which has proven that it is focused, sincere and brave in speaking out when things are not right.

UPKO leaders are very open and will tell it like it is if they feel that what is happening is not right or does not benefit the people, he said.