DONGGONGON: As a component of Barisan Nasional (BN), Upko fully subscribes to the coalition’s consensus spirit, the main pillar that has kept the coalition intact and strong all this while, said Upko secretary general Datuk Donald Mojuntin.
“However such principle is surely alien to Moyog assemblyman Terrence Siambun and his party, hence his attempt to clash Upko with Umno using the senatorship given to Datuk John Ambrose is not only lame but childish,” he said.
The PKR assemblyman who had defected to Warisan was totally lost in his overzealousness to try and create a rift between Upko and Umno, he asserted.
“As far as the appointment of Umno Penampang chief Datuk John Ambrose as a Senator, it was Upko who proposed it and we totally supported it,” said Mojuntin who is BN Penampang chairman.
Upko congratulates Ambrose for his appointment and believes it will spur BN in Penampang to work harder and wrest all the seats lost in the last General Election.
“It is long overdue for Datuk John Ambrose. With his experience we know he can be a strong voice in the Dewan Negara and raise issues affecting the people of Penampang, Sabah as well as the whole country,” said Mojuntin.
He said Siambun exposed his political immaturity when claiming that with Ambrose’s appointment, Umno would do well where Upko had failed in Penampang, whereas the actual fact was that all BN component parties shared equal responsibilities.
“I doubt Siambun and his party could grasp our Barisan principle. We make our decisions together and all of us have our role to play in bringing development and effect a change to the people’s livelihood.
“But for Siambun and his party, their main objective is only to create hatred against the government using whatever means including spreading lies,” he said.
Nonetheless, Mojuntin thanked Siambun for admitting that the visit by the Prime Minister to Donggongon on Thursday would bring about so much benefits to Penampang.
“Thank you for acknowledging that only the BN is able to provide for the people’s needs,” he said.
He added that even before Penampang has fallen to the opposition, the BN government, especially through former Upko president and MP Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, had poured developments into the district.
Upko respects the voters’ decision but Mojuntin is confident this time around the voters have seen the true colours of the opposition parties who were only bent on spreading lies.
“Instead, we are confident that now we have stronger support from Umno Penampang (with the appointment of its chief as a Senator) as well as other component parties, that things will turn out very differently this time,” he said.