By Joe Fernandez | Malaysiakini
A Sabah DAP ‘carrot’ that a non-Muslim KadazanDusunMurut (KDM) will be the chief minister in Kota Kinabalu – should Pakatan Rakyat form the state government – has revealed the division in the opposition alliance on the issue.
Sabah DAP vice-chairperson Edward Ewol Mujie had given the assurance, in urging Sahahans to vote for Pakatan in the next election.
However, former Sabah PKR deputy chief Daniel John Jambun pointed out that Pakatan component parties are currently led by non-KDM.
“So, how is a KDM, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, going to be chief minister if Pakatan wins the elections?” he asked.
jeffrey kitingan sabah 310508Daniel also reminded Edward that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim had been adamantly against Jeffrey Gapari Kitingan (left) becoming the Sabah PKR chief.
Instead, he had installed a Bajau – Ahmad Thamrin – as the state chief even though Jeffrey had been endorsed by a majority of the 25 divisions.
Even the much-touted PKR ‘peace plan’ had only resulted in Kota Kinabalu PKR division chief Christina Liew being appointed the deputy state chief. The rest of the Sabah line-up has yet to be announced.
Sabah PKR’s powerful KDM task force, co-chaired by Daniel, has deep reservations about the issue. It sees the idea of a non-Muslim KDM chief minister as a form of divisive politics a la Peninsular Malaysia.
Daniel says he personally does not care whether the next chief minister is Muslim or non-Muslim, Chinese or non-Chinese.
“What we want is a candidate who will head a transparent and accountable state administration,” he said.
The state administration must be based on merit and democracy, he added, and it should be free of nepotism, corruption and the politics of patronage.
Pledge is ‘discriminatory’
Former Sabah PKR state secretary Kanul Gindol said the DAP’s promise smacks of discrimination against Muslims.
Kanul also alleged Anwar had insisted that the next Sabah chief minister has to be a Muslim, as Muslims are now a clear majority in the state.
identity card sabah fiasco“Obviously Anwar is including the illegal immigrants who have acquired a MyKad and entered the electoral rolls.”
The idea of a non-Muslim KDM chief minister is a poor joke by the opposition alliance, said PBS vice-president Herbert Timbon Lagadan, since “there’s nothing to bar a non-Muslim KDM in BN from becoming chief minister”.
“If Anwar is unwilling to allow a non-Muslim KDM, Jeffrey, to be Sabah PKR chief, how is he going to allow one from the community to be chief minister?” he asked.
“First of all, Edward should ask Lim Kit Siang to allow him to be Sabah DAP chief before he talks about a non-Muslim KDM chief minister.”
Herbert alleged that the KDM have been sidelined in DAP as well, and that “(DAP is) in no position to preach to others”.
The Kadazans-Dusun community is in tatters since they were marginalised by Tun Mustapha in earlier days.
To survive, they must send Umno back to where it comes from
Kadazans had been marginalized by Tun Mustapha in earlier days.
The situation became worse after Umno came as new immigrants.
To survive, the Kadazans must send back the Umnoputras to where they come from.
Kadazans must not be eunuchs, to survive honourably.
Hi,you guys remember,LDB and SAPP,both were the minority party within BN but both its presidents were appointed CM respectively.PR could apply this method when it comes to power. But right now,what’s important is to ensure PR wins. Liked I said b4,PR must be aware that there are pretty lots of old and new poltical frogs in the arena of politic in Sabah. Be ware of those ADKs (angkat dua kaki) and honey sweet talk type of politician.
This news while troubling is great because Sdr. Lim and DAP does not hide it. You need to flush these issues out in the open. Wash the dirty laundry and clean it out before the next GE.
Najib may think he is hip using Facebook but he does not understand the internet like Sdr. Lim does. What is the difference in age again between the two again? When the old guy is better at a new technology than the young guy, that young guy problems are largely his own..
Jeffrey Kitingan is the next frog to hop over to BN the moment the money offered is enough