Resignations rock PKR and DAP

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Top leaders of the two opposition parties in Sabah quit for local-based platform

Lajim (second right) with (from right) Junz, Terrance and Maijol at the event to announce their resignation. — Bernama photo

Lajim (second right) with (from right) Junz, Terrance and Maijol at the event to announce their resignation. — Bernama photo

KOTA KINABALU: Top leaders from Sabah PKR and Sabah DAP yesterday officially announced their resignation from their respective parties.

They included, from Sabah PKR, its chairman Datuk Seri Panglima Lajim Ukin, secretary general Datuk Maijol Mahap, information chief Terrence Siambun and Women Movement chief Johair Matlani, while from Sabah DAP were its deputy chairman Joan Goh, secretary Junz Wong, treasurer David William and vice state chairman George Hiew. They announced their resignation to a packed room of their supporters at a local hotel here.

According to Klias assemblyman Lajim, the decision to resign from PKR was not an easy one to make as he has headed the state leadership since 2013.

“But it is because of the rakyat and their desire to have a local based party to champion their rights that I and fellow PKR leaders made the decision to quit the party. Our decision was also made after giving consideration to the Sarawak state election results where the local parties there scored huge victories while PKR only managed to retain three seats and DAP lost half of its seats,” he said.

Sabahans, Lajim pointed out, want local based parties to guide them in facing all challenges as well as to regain the rights of Sabah as promised under the Malaysia Agreement 1963. He was also of the opinion that Sabah and Sarawak can no longer be assumed as ‘fixed deposits’ because the people in the two states are now aware of their rights.

Speaking to the media later, Lajim disclosed that 70 per cent of the state PKR leadership had resigned, including 10 division heads.

“We have informed party president of our decision to quit and we were asked to reconsider but we told them that this is the needs and desire of the rakyat in Sabah so they understand the reason why we have to do it,” he said.

Junz, who is the Likas assemblyman, said he is quitting DAP as he is convinced a local party would be a better platform to champion the rights of Sabahans.Junz said that it was not an easy decision to make and he had mulled over it for a few months.

“I am not saying that DAP is not good, it is good but the time has come for us to demand our rights through a local party, through the efforts of Anak Sabah. We, Anak Sabah, must come together to seize the opportunity to get Umno out of Sabah. We will still work with the peninsula-based parties to topple Umno,” Junz said, adding that seven out of the 16 state DAP leaders have resigned.

Meanwhile, Terrence said he has resigned from all his posts in PKR with the blessing of party president, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. Terrence said he will be joining Penampang member of parliament, Darell Leiking, and Semporna member of parliament, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, in the latter’s new party.

He also urged all the opposition in Sabah to unite as they all have the same objective which is to topple Barisan Nasional.

Lajim also announced the resignation of 10 PKR Sabah division heads and three vice division heads.