KOTA KINABALU: United Pasokmomogum Kadazandusn Murut Organization (UPKO) said Luyang assemblymen Dr Hiew King Cheu is still an independent assemblyman until the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council decides otherwise.
Acting UPKO president Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau said this is because a consensus decision of the BN Supreme Council is needed to accept, or otherwise, any application from among opposition elected representatives to join the BN through a component party.
Tangau said in a statement yesterday that soon after the 13th general election last year, there were already some moves from elected representatives from the opposition to join the BN.
“The matter was then brought up for discussion at the BN Supreme Council meeting and the decision was that such application must be submitted to the BN Supreme Council for decision and any decision must be a consensus.
“Therefore, going by that principle, Dr Hiew will remain an independent assemblymen until the MCA submits his membership application to the BN Supreme Council for decision,” he said.
On June 6, Dr Hiew submitted his membership application form to Sabah MCA chief Wilson Yong in the presence of MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, stating he chose MCA because the party defended the position of the Chinese and, at the same time, served all races.
However, his move was critisised by other Sabah BN component parties, including Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah, which expressed unhappiness over the move as they believed it could destabilise the Sabah BN.
PBS assistant secretary general Datuk Herbert T Lagadan said Prime Minister cum BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as the head of the coalition, must be firm in upholding the principle of consensus within BN.
He this is because not upholding the principle of consensus could lead to BN’s downfall.
Herbert said that he believed there is no other alternative to the principle of consensus if BN wants to keep the coalition intact and strong.
“If MCA is to be given the ‘exception to the rule’, then BN would be doomed to its own destruction. If it does happen then, PBS must get itself ready for any eventuality of a ‘free for all’ contest in the coming 14th General Election among the BN component parties,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Herbert asked, “Is it more important to get the Luyang assemblyman into the MCA-BN in lieu of good and harmonious relationship among BN partners?”
He also was of the opinion that MCA being a senior party in the BN coalition should have been more responsible and sensitive towards the feelings of fellow members.