Daniel John Jambun
KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) information chief Datuk Johnny Mositun had inadvertently confessed that his party is a toothless component of Sabah Barisan Nasional, said Sabah STAR deputy chairman Daniel John Jambun.
He also said that the length of Mositun’s statement made during the launch of the PBS election machinery for Papar and Kimanis on Sunday revealed PBS’ dire situation as a political party and its very uncomfortable relationship with Umno.
“And for Mositun to make this desperate-sounding statement just before the 13th general election is telling us that all is not well for the party’s relationship with Umno, its father party which Mositun indirectly accuses of walloping all the electoral seats in Papar and Kimanis,” Jambun added.
“He clearly lamented that ‘all the elected representatives in Papar and Kimanis are from Umno’, then proceeded to name the six parliamentary and state assembly areas and their representatives.
“He went on to warn that ‘there is a general uneasiness among (PBS) members about the distribution of political posts and appointments in many areas … (which did not) reflect the actual composition of the BN coalition or certain communities or parties were not represented in a fair proportion…’,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Jambun said Mositun should have said this injustice had been going on from the beginning.
He said it was a serious admission by Mositun that “it was not an easy matter to resolve but it is one that must be treated seriously by the BN leadership.”
“This can be understood only one way, that the problem of injustice against Sabah BN components like PBS is actually almost impossible to resolve with Umno’s attitude,” he asserted.
Jambun also said it was amazing that Mositun had repeatedly said PBS still needed Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan’s leadership and accused certain groups for inciting the Kadazandusun Murut (KDM) youths to demand that Pairin step down.
“Doesn’t he know that it was Pairin himself who announced that he wanted to retire after GE13? Doesn’t he know that it is general knowledge in the interior today that Pairin most likely won’t recontest in Keningau?
“If Mositun really believes PBS still needs Pairin’s leadership, he should appeal to Pairin to stay on, and not attack the KDM youths for calling for Pairin’s retirement. Mositun accused these youths for being ignorant of history, and ‘they only knew Pairin and PBS from newspapers, misinformed bloggers, opposition propaganda.’ But whose fault is that? Again Mositun made another important and serious admission – admission that Pairin and PBS have long lost touch with the younger generation!” he said.
Jambun added what Mositun refused to admit that this was no longer 1985. He could not force the youths to appreciate Pairin based on glories of the past because the youths were demanding new leadership based on today’s needs and high visions of the future!
“This is now the 21st century which is filled up with new ideas, new visions which demand new approaches to missions. And these are mission approaches the PBS leaders seem to be blind to.
“PBS is obsolete for many reasons, mainly that the world has moved on and PBS refuses to address the new political realities in which youths want new leadership dynamics. PBS is also guilty by association, i.e. for being a stooge and a stooge which openly admits it is being mistreated as a component.”
Jambun concluded by pointing out that Mositun cannot defend Pairin by asking for support based on Pairin’s past struggle.
He said what Pairin should do today is to give the new generation of KDMs the energy of a strong, courageous and independent leadership that promises a better, stronger and a more autonomous future.
“But Pairin and PBS cannot give this as long as it is in BN, because as Mositun has openly admitted, PBS is helpless and toothless where it is now! It is just unfortunate for PBS that the promises of the future is being made through brave and selfless struggle by the opposition like STAR, a party that has pioneered new ideas which is firing up the imagination and excitement of the new generation of not just KDMs but all Sabahans, young and old,” he said.