KOTA KINABALU: Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan is waiting to see if there is any “inspiration” for him to forget about retirement and contest in the 14th general election.
“What is that you all want to ask? (You) keep on asking. All will be known during the nomination day,” he told reporters.
“To me, I already have six grandchildren and really like to be with them but sometimes, like now, we are doing a job because of the people. So we will see and wait for the opinions of political figures. We also do not know. (Let’s) see if there is inspiration before nomination day,” he teased.
Pairin’s desire to retire from politics is nothing new but talks on the ground revolved around the claim that Prime Minister Datuk Najib Razak had asked the PBS President and Kadazan, Dusun, Murut and Rungus Huguan Siou to remain for another term.
“Of course, at the moment, I am for retirement. The only thing that I suppose can lure me back is service to the people. That is it. If I am needed I am still around,” he said.
Pairin trusts that the people will support Barisan Nasional and help PBS retain the Keningau and Tambunan seats if he decides not to contest.
“I believe the people will support the government that has sufficiently helped the areas and our entire state. That is Barisan Nasional,” he said.
Pairin, who is the incumbent Keningau member of parliament and Tambunan assemblyman, claimed that ex-premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had no heart for the people of Sabah in the past and continually to suppress the progress of Sabah.
“He introduced the two-year Chief Minister rotation scheme. That is damaging. He knows that but he purposely did it because he did not love the people here. He took care of the government for 22 years and said if he only had two years, it wouldn’t have been enough. Mahathir is a man full of contradiction, he is not sincere,” he said.
“Now he is helping the opposition, he has his own agenda and wants to be Prime Minister,” he added.
Pairin is also doubtful whether the Pakatan Harapan and Parti Warisan Sabah electoral pact could snatch the Keningau and Tambunan seats from PBS.
“The electoral pact is at the moment not been crystallized. They are having problems, they are topsy turvy, there is nothing written, nothing really clear. Their use of symbol has yet been determined,” he said.
When it comes to the Warisan’s call for PBS to leave BN due to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Zahid Hamidi’s request for the party to lend Matunggong to Umno, Pairin said the matter had already been resolved and undivided support amongst parties in the coalition would ensure a win for BN in Matunggong.