KOTA KNABALU: Pakatan Perubahan Sabah (PPS) chairman Datuk Seri Panglima Lajim Ukin has quashed rumours that he is returning to Barisan Nasional (BN).
“I strongly deny the allegations and would like to point out here that I have not met with any BN leaders, either at the state or federal level, to talk about going back to the coalition,” he told a press conference yesterday.
The Beaufort member of parliament stressed that he is still with Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and will be contesting under the opposition’s ticket in the coming 13th general election if his application to register a new party is rejected.
He was commenting on claims by several blogs that he was going back to BN because he was not given the ‘incentive’ promised by the opposition and also because he did not fulfil his assurance that more Umno leaders will be joining him.
Lajim, who believed BN was behind the claims, said, “neither me nor my supporters said that … it was said by BN and this is a tactic to discredit me and make the people lose confidence in me.
“Let me make it clear that I joined the opposition not because of any monetary gains because that is not how the opposition works, they do not ‘buy’ anyone. I have said that I will join the opposition even if I have to do it alone,” he said.
Lajim said it does not take many leaders who crossed over to effect a change in government as Sabah’s political history had shown that it only took two leaders to ‘jump’ like in the instance of Usno losing the election when the late Tun Datu Haji Mustapha bin Datu Harun and the then Datuk Harris Salleh left the party for Berjaya.
“The history repeated itself when the late Datuk Mark Koding and Datuk Pairin Kitingan left Berjaya to form Parti Bersatu Sabah,” he said and pointed out that he left Umno-BN simply for the reason of fighting for the people.
“It is not the inducement or the position, it is simply the welfare of the people, that is why I left BN and there are many more BN leaders who feel the same will be making the move to join the opposition. They are just waiting for the right time.
“We will not be revealing the names of these people because we fear that BN will look for them and entice them back with ‘rewards’. However, I am confident that the opposition will win the 13th general election and we will form the government,” Lajim stressed.
He was of the opinion that the opposition is making inroads in Sabah as it has won two ’rounds’ of the fight against BN.
“We have asked for the Royal Commission of Inquiry on illegal immigrants and it has been set up, then we asked for an increase in the oil royalty and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said it can be discussed,” he said.