By : JESSIEANNE JOANNES
KOTA KINABALU: “Ansari (Abdullah) is twisting the whole
thing,” said a beleaguered APS Chief, Datuk Wilfred Bumburing Friday.
“He is the real liar. He has
been going around telling people that there was an agreement between him and me
over the seat allocation … it never happened”.
The war of words between
Ansari, the veteran PKR leaders who was dropped from the polls in favour of
Bumburing, a partner of PKR, has only got hotter, especially after Ansari
branded his rival a liar.
“He claimed that we
discussed the matter that I would be defending the Tuaran seat while he goes to
contest in Tamparuli,” said Bumburing (picture).
“… but the only time this
was mentioned was when I met him at a canteen and at that time, I was in no
position to make any decision since I had yet to leave Barisan Nasional.
“I was told that he (Ansari)
had sent a memorandum to the national leaders of the so-called discussion,
which never happened,” Bumburing explained.
Ansari also labeled
Bumburing as a “liar” for failing to live to his words to not contest in the
13th general election, besides criticising his own party for not providing the
autonomy to Sabah and not recognising the decisions made by several divisions
on their preferred candidates.
The former Deputy Chief
Minister and United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO) Deputy
President left the ruling coalition and set up APS to show his support to
Pakatan Rakyat.
“All we want is to help
Pakatan Rakyat win in the coming general election, and we did not expect to be
candidates, but that does not mean we did not offer to stand (as candidate).
“In our discussions (with
PKR), we had raised the intention to have candidates contest in Tuaran and
Tamparuli, knowing that it is a KDM area, and suggested that PKR take Kiulu and
Sulaman.
“But Ansari insisted to
stand in Tamparuli and stressed that if he does not get that seat, he will not
contest in this election. It is sad since we do believe that he was the best
candidate for Sulaman since it is populated by Bumiputera Muslim voters,” he
said.
Bumburing however admitted
that he may not be getting the support from Ansari as the latter had made his
intentions known that his support is strictly for PKR members.
“His absence will have some
effect but I know most of the PKR people will give their support to me as they
are eager for change. So I hope we will win and the win is a gift for PR and
PKR in particular,” he said.
Bumburing is defending
Tuaran against his old colleague Wilfred Tangau, and contesting Tamparuli in an
effort to wrest the seat away from PBS, which he ironically won with them in
1985 has called on the Kadazandusun voters in the area to come out in full
force to cast votes on May 5 to make known their discontent over what they
termed as marginalisation against saitiis the only Christian.
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