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File
photo showing DAP elected representatives Jimmy Wong and Foong Hin
Chan at the PCS Kaamatan gathering recently.
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DR JEFFREY KITINGAN'S statement on the issue of cooperation with other opposition political parties shows another turn around by Gabungan. PCS had brought this issue many times while we were in Gabungan.
However the leaders of STAR and SAPP were reluctant to discuss the issue and in fact they said that it is difficult to discuss with the Malaya-based parties because they cannot be trusted. I personally discussed the issue with Lajim Ukin (Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah) and his response was that “we discuss with them after the election”, which to me is not sensible because the voters want to see a genuine and reliable partnership in the election.
The voters want change and they will reject political parties who claim that they opposition parties but remain BN-friendly. Immediately after our exit from Gabungan we were ferociously attacked by its members, especially from STAR, saying that we were being manipulated by Parti Warisan and Pakatan Harapan.
Now the STAR president says that it is “stupid for USA and Pakatan Harapan not to work together” and “it would be unfair to stop them from contesting since they have won a number of seats in Sabah in the previous election”.
Prior to this statement any notion of a Sabah-based party cooperating with Pakatan Harapan is met with vehement opposition from STAR and SAPP. Why the turnaround? Is it because Gabungan has now realized that they will have no chance at all without cooperation from other parties? This is exactly one of the reasons why PCS left Gabungan.
We refused to be associated with a “merry-go-round” kind of politics. Other opposition political parties in Sabah want to talk to us but it is because of our association in Gabungan that made it difficult for them to discuss with us because of the question of reliability and sincerity.
Now that we are on our own, the way is clear for concrete discussions on facing the coming general election. Many have expressed a sigh of relief that we had made the brave decision to chart our own path. Dr Jeffrey’s suggestion that the decision of PCS to quit Gabungan is a mistake and now we do not know where we are, is absurd, and a manifestation of a total ignorance of the feeling on the ground.
We are in discussion with other parties on forming a united opposition front that is totally committed for a regime change. However it is too early to make a premature statement at this time.
The people will know in due time who will work with who. Perhaps the presence of the two DAP elected representatives at our recent Kaamantan celebration held in Pogunon, Penampang shows a positive sign towards what is ahead.
Wilfred M Bumburing is president of Parti Cinta Sabah and Assemblyman for Tamparuli File photo showing DAP elected representatives Jimmy Wong and Foong Hin Chan at the PCS Kaamatan gathering recently.
