Matunggong PBS Division chief Sarapin Magana and the division leaders stand united in saying “NO!” to a call to ‘lend’ their seat to UMNO.
KOTA MARUDU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Matunggong Division strongly objects to a proposal by the nation’s Number Two leader to ‘borrow’ the seat in the coming general election.
The decision was made following an unanimous votes from PBS Matunggong Division committee, supported by its Youth and Women wings, during an emergency meeting held here, today.
Describing the proposal as “inappropriate and ridiculous”, PBS Matunggong Division chief Sarapin Magana stressed that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s announcement showed the dominating party’s greediness.
“He made the announcement on stage in public and before PBS two top leaders – President Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan and Deputy President Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili.
“It was an inappropriate act by him (Zahid) to make such announcement. It shows how greedy they are. How can one just simply make a proposal to take another political party’s seat without even discussing the matter? So the answer to his request is NO!” Sarapin stressed.
In expressing his disappointment over the announcement, Magana stressed that Zahid has exceeded his political turf because matters pertaining to seats quota and allocation in Sabah are under the chairmanship of Tan Sri Musa Aman as the State BN chief.
“Agreement had already been reached that all components seat quota and allocation would remain status quo. There should be no further disruptions that could cause instability of the BN coalition,” said Magana.
He noted that Matunggong has been PBS’ traditional stronghold and would stay as one of the party’s 13 state seats in the 14th General Election.
In the previous general election, BN candidate Magana lost the Matunggong seat to Datuk Jelani Hamdan, who contested under the Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s ticket.
He said party leaders have assured that all seat allocations remained status quo since there were no additional seats contested in the coming election.
“It was a bitter memory. And what made it worst is that the lost was due to sabotage from our own partner in BN, UMNO, by ‘planting’ a former party member to go against us.
“And for them to come up and ask for the Matunggong seat is just ridiculous. We lost the seat because of saboteurs within the coalition’” Magana said.
He said if the call is pursued, PBS is strongly considering flying its own flag in GE14.
Zahid, at a gathering in Matunggong on Monday, made the proposal to lend the Matunggong seat to UMNO on the coming election, disclosing it as a ‘formula’ to recapture the lost seat for BN.