KOTA KINABALU: Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) decision on its candidates in Sabah has worked against the opposition coalition, said Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan.
The Kota Belud parliamentary candidate claimed this had also led to some of the PR election machinery not functioning well.
Speaking to reporters after witnessing the application by five former PKR leaders to join BN through Umno yesterday, Abdul Rahman said that when Pakatan Rakyat leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim chose Isnaraissah Munira Majilis as the candidate for Kota Belud, everyone including BN were surprised because she was not known by many.
“We felt that Anwar had committed a very big tactical mistake in KB and also Tuaran. PKR election machinery in these areas is almost crippled. In Kota Belud, we do not see any big ceramah nor are there many election materials. This is the result when the grassroots do not agree with Anwar,” he said.
Abdul Rahman pointed out that in the past, Anwar had claimed the basis of PR getting to Putrajaya was their strength in Sabah and Sarawak.
“Today we see in Sabah and Sarawak as a result of Anwar’s reckless decision towards PKR’s supporters which has caused the party’s election machinery to be almost crippled. Only a few areas are well organized but are very disappointing in other areas and Tuaran is not as expected.
“In the past Anwar, when he spoke in Peninsular Malaysia, painted the picture as though Sabah and Sarawak are already in his pocket and only people from the Peninsular Malaysia are needed to create the second political tsunami.
“But today, Sabah and Sarawak are still solidly in BN. To me Anwar after being in the state during his tenure as Deputy Prime Minister and Umno deputy president is well versed with the twists and turns as well as sensitivity of Sabah’s politics which is rather unique.
“But I feel that his decisions in Sabah have resulted in a very chronic split in PR. I suspect that Anwar has promised seats, posts or authority to anyone who wants to support PR and when it is time for him to allocate the seats, all those who were promised have come forward to claim what was promised,” he said.
“In the end Anwar was caught in a situation which he cannot defend and make weak decisions.
“I must stress that most of the problems faced by PR in Sabah are the result of APS and PPPS joining the coalition. I feel that there is no reason why Datuk Seri Panglima Lajim Ukin joined PR (via PPPS) and was allocated two seats.
“He (Lajim) has not only denied the opportunity of people who have served PKR for so long, he had also insulted their sacrifices. The same goes for APS president Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Bumburing. I think Lajim wants to become Prime Minister and Chief Minister … if possible at the same time,” he claimed.
On former PKR Kota Belud chief Saidil Simoi joining BN, Abdul Rahman said that the former was a person who had very strong influence in Kota Belud.
Saidil will feature largely in BN’s election machinery in Kota Belud, especially in areas where accusations against BN were strife.
“Together with him by my side, we will be explaining to the people about the issues and accusations by PR all this while. There are issues that we can explain but it would be better if it comes from the horse’s mouth.
“For example like the promises in the Buku Jingga which were not fulfilled by Anwar. If I point that out, people will have some skepticism but it will be more convincing if it came from him as he was the state Buku Jingga director. I am quite impressed,” he said.