END....If
rumours are any indication, the end is near for Liberal Democratic Party – Sabah BN's local Chinese
arm.
By : LUKE RINTOD
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah
political grapevine is abuzz with rumours that former Sabah chief minister and
ex-Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president Chong Kah Kiat has joined PKR.
Word is that Chong, along
with two other eminent former state Barisan Nasional assemblymen, joined
opposition PKR in a secret meeting with PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim who was here
last week.
Chong, who was once a
federal minister, was also the former assemblyman for Tanjung Kapur.
The other two are Yapin
Gimpoton who once held Kadamaian and Ahmadshah Tambakau, a former Bingkor
representative. Ahmadshah, a ex-federal deputy minister, was also once Keningau
MP.
According to insiders who
claimed knowledge, all three met Anwar at a hotel here during his visit to
Sabah on the eve of the Chinese New Year.
The sources claimed they
handed in their application forms to Anwar at the meeting and that an
announcement on it was being planned by the party’s headquarters possibly to
coincide with the impending dissolution of Parliament that could be as early as
Feb 22.
Efforts to reach Sabah PKR
officials for confirmation were futile while texts sent to PKR leaders were
ignored.
Meanwhile, it was learnt in
Kota Belud that Gimpoton has been earmarked as potential PKR candidate for the
Kota Belud parliamentary seat.
According to insiders,
Ahmadshah could be a PKR candidate for one of the state seats in Keningau area,
possibly Bingkor, which is also being eyed by State Reform Party (STAR) Sabah
chairman, Jeffrey Kitingan.
Observers said that if the
trio had indeed joined the opposition party, it would boost PKR’s image in the
state.
It will also further stiffen
the fight among the opposition political parties contesting in Sabah, notably
between STAR, PKR and also SAPP (Sabah Progressive Party).
Chong has been at odds with
the current Barisan Nasional state government over differences on issues close
to his heart.
In fact, he resigned his
deputy chief minister’s post not so long ago, citing his unhappiness with the
way things were going on in the state administration.
Chong was especially
disappointed at the way Chief Minister Musa Aman handled his “Mazu” statue
project in his hometown of Kudat. He even sued Musa over the matter.
In Kota Belud, relatives of
Gimpoton claimed that he was persuaded by his own conviction that it is time to
change BN. He is known to have his own mind over Sabah politics and in the
recent past he openly supported PKR candidate for Kadamaian, Lukia Indan, in
2008.
Ahmadshah, who is the
youngest of the trio, is said to be making a comeback after the opposition made
inroads into the vastly rural Keningau, where he comes from.
Efforts to reach the three
for comments were unsuccessful. (FMT)
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