Finally Sabah PKR is singing in harmony

PENAMPANG: For Sabah and Sarawak autonomy rules. Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (picture) assured this during the party’s convention held here yesterday.

Holding out an olive branch to Sabah leaders who had broken into two camps over the issue, Anwar said that the party had made a decision that the Sabah and Sarawak must be headed by local leaders.

However he urged the warring parties to focus on their fight heading into the next general election, and again warned of the dangers of racism, communalism and intolerance.


"Some people may have difficulty in understanding why something is run the way it is. The (party) policy clearly spells out our direction and everyone should adhere (to this).

“Party members and supporters should not squabble over the leadership issue. If we love our leaders, we should help them. We should strengthen our machinery and admit that one man alone cannot accomplish everything.

"If there is a problem, they should discuss it first amicably. The culture of suspicion among one another should be stopped … it is not good for the party."

He quickly added however that the focus is not about leadership and the agenda is rather to topple the Barisan Nasional in the next general elections.

“We all must act collectively. We must win the war against the Barisan Nasional. “

“There was a lot of feedback on the leadership issue at State level. But I am glad to say that they now support the party state line-up," he said of the leadership tussle that saw local Kadasandusun leader Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan(picture) resign as Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) national vice-president on Oct 28.

His resignation was rejected by the party.

Anwar said the party leadership had agreed that the two Borneo states be given autonomy in conducting party matters in the two states with Jeffrey in charge.

“ Jeffrey and other veteran leaders have been given the role as ’second echelon’ leaders to monitor the party and its policies,” Anwar told the party’s convention at the Atlantis Restaurant in Jalan Bundusan here Sunday.

“We appointed Jeffrey (as vice-president) because of his experience and sacrifice and that we have to move forward as a team,” he said.

Kota Kinabalu PKR division chief, Christina Liew status as supreme council member also remain intact. Liew resigned as supreme council member with Jeffrey.

Sabah PKR was heading for a split when Jeffrey tendered his resignation over the appointment of Ahmad Thamrin Jaini as the party’s new chief in Sabah.

Talks was that Jeffrey would be rejoining Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) led by his elder brother and former chief minister Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan.

Jeffrey was also been linked to a group of Sabah PKR leaders who were planning to register a new party called Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) but eventuall Jeffrey and his camp decided to put in PKR with the him appointed a vice president in charge of Sabah and Sarawak.

On the earlier appointment of Azmin Ali, a non-Sabahan, as Sabah PKR chief before Tamrin was made the chairperson, Anwar told the convention that it (Azmin’s appointment) was only temporary.

He said that everyone including party leaders and members should now render full support to Tamrin as the party’s new chief in Sabah.

"At the same time we want to make sure that the national leadership which include Dr Jeffrey, Ansari Abdullah and Christina Liew be given a chance to perform in Sabah and Sarawak.”

He said that he was happy with the final outcome of issue adding that it was because the party’s cohesive group that practices democracy and allows flexibility.

Jeffrey said he was happy with the outcome of his meeting with the PKR leadership last month and the assurance that all his proposals, especially the Malaysia agreement, which saw Sabah joining Malaya, Singapore and Sarawak to form Malaysia, had been accepted at the party’s recent national convention.

“That is what is important. I want real change not just talk and I am banking on their sincerity on this matter,” he told reporters after the convention.

He said that he had put forward the proposal that the leaders at state level be elected instead of appointed and this has also been considered.

Explaining his abrupt resignation he said it was because he was unhappy with the way party leaders had been appointed.

“So, as far as I am concerned, I am happy because I will (now) have a chance to bring up Sabah’s and Sarawak’s (pre-election) strategies and masterplans to the national level,” he said.

On the plan to elevate veteran leaders to the second echelon in the party, Jeffrey said it is one way to enable younger leaders rise in the hierarchy.

FMT
21/12/09

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