APS HAPPY WITH ITS LARGE FOOTPRINT

REFORM....Wilfred Bumburing’s reform movement will contest in 12 state and five parliamentary seats under the PKR banner in the general election.

By : JOSEPH BINGKASAN

KOTA KINABALU: The state’s young reform movement, Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS), is counting its blessing that it has been given the mandate by the national opposition front to contest for five parliamentary and 12 state constituencies in the May 5 general election.

Candidates of the non-governmental organisation, which is headed by incumbent Tuaran MP Wilfred Bumburing, will be contesting on a PKR ticket.

Bumburing formed APS as a pro-opposition political platform when he quit as United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Organisation (Upko) deputy president as well as Barisan Nasional chief for Tuaran last year.

Several senior Upko leaders, including then vice-president former Senator Maijol Mahap, also quit from the Barisan Nasional to join forces with Bumburing.

Pakatan Rakyat supremo Anwar Ibrahim has given APS the task of garnering support for the opposition from the native communities in Sabah in its bid to topple BN government in the general election.

In the list of candidates announced on Wednesday, Bumburing will defend his Tuaran MP seat as well as contest for his former state seat of Tamparuli.

‘We will work had’

Mahap, APS deputy president, is slated to contest against PBS deputy president Maximus Ongkili in the Kota Marudu parliamentary constituency.

The movement will also contest the MP seats of Tenom (Masidin Tumas), Pensiangan (Richard Sakian Gunting) and  Beluran (James Miki).

APS members will represent Pakatan in the state seats of Moyog (Terrence Siambun), Pantai Manis (Fred Gabriel), Kuala Penyu (John Christopher Ghani), Kundasang (Satiol Indong), Paginatan (Amru Abdul Kadir), Tambunan (Wilfred Win Ponil), Liawan (Paul Gitang), Kemabong (Biou Suyan), Sook (Liberty Lopog), Labuk (Tan Yong Gee) and Kuamut (Binson Ingam).

Speaking to FMT today, Mahap said APS appreciated the gesture of Pakatan national leaders in assigning to the movement the MP and state constituencies to contest in the election.

“We will work hard to win all the seats,” he said. “We thank Bumburing for having worked hard to bring APS into the mainstream politics in Sabah and the country.” (FMT)