Lajim Ukin
KOTA KINABALU: Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (Harapan) welcomes Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (Bersatu) decision to come to Sabah.
The decision was announced by the party’s chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday.
Harapan president Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin said that they had anticipated the decision together with the majority of Sabahans since the middle of last year.
He doesn’t see Bersatu’s decision as challenging the Warisan Sabah government as alleged by some parties.
Lajim said Bersatu would not do that because Warisan is a friend of Pakatan Harapan.
He added that Bersatu’s entry would strenghten the Warisan government led by Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.
He also said that Warisan would not be disturbed by the opposition as most of the leaders had joined Bersatu.
Lajim, however, noted that Warisan might not welcome the announcement since the party had repeatedly expressed its disagreement for Bersatu to come to Sabah.
Tun Mahathir, who is the prime minister, has stated the party will not oppose the Warisan government.
It is estimated that 80,000 Sabahans will join Bersatu.
Lajim also supported that Bersatu is closed to members from Pakatan Harapan and is only open to Umno members.
He also said that Harapan is ready to migrate to Bersatu involving 64,000 of its members from 26 divisions in Sabah.
The matter had been agreed upon by the supreme council members and other, he said.
Lajim also said that 100,000 Bersatu membership forms had been prepared.
He added that he would meet with Tun Mahathir and Bersatu leadership to discuss the party’s entry to Sabah.