SAPP welcomes Azmin's call for One to One contest against BN in next polls

Kota Kinabalu, June 19, 2009: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president, Datuk Yong Teck Lee today said that SAPP is positive about talks with PKR on preparations for the next general elections.

"The most sensible part of the election preparations is to agree that the election should be a one to one contest against the might of the BN machinery because we must not underestimate the will power of the BN and UMNO to stay in power at all costs and using all tricks" added Yong.

This was conveyed by Yong during a lunch meeting with PKR State liaison Chairman for Sabah, YB Azmin Ali, this afternoon together with Deputy President Datuk Eric Majimbun from SAPP.

"Therefore, the SAPP Supreme Council at its meeting on June 13 has identified three main challenges to an opposition victory:

(a) Money politics whereby the BN has overwhelming advantage in all constituencies,
(b) Illegal immigrants voters,
(c) The use of phantom votes and postal ballots in marginal constituencies whereby votes have been cast in the names of non existent voters, such as the examples shown in the election petition trial of Sandakan MP last year.

"Other relevant concerns are the lack of a common platform on both national and Sabah issues among Pakatan parties and SAPP such as autonomy for Sabah, the PAS-UMNO unity talks, the vastly divergent ideologies of PAS and DAP on nation building issues and the PAS claim to the Prime Ministership.

"On the positive side, the BN is fast losing support among the people over a range of issues such as the economy and economic mismanagement, crime and social problems, racial polarization and religious bigotry and a general lack of direction at the top of the nation's leadership.

"The 1 Malaysia concept has failed to catch the people's imagination and instead became the butt of jokes among the people. Past excesses of the BN administration is catching up with the current government such as the collapse of the Terengganu stadium and other building failures, the Port Klang Free Zone scandal, the Perak fiasco and falling education standards.

"In Sabah, the failure to resolve the Queen Elizabeth hospital crisis, the controversial coal power plant proposal, the piping of our natural gas to Petronas's Bintulu Liquefied Natural Gas plant, escalating costs of living, poverty, illegal immigrants problems beset the people.

"The Labuan Bridge proposal is at a dead end whereas Johore is getting a third bridge and Penang a second bridge. Both the relaxation of the cabotage policy and the announcement of RM245 million to buy the Sabah Medical Centre turned out to be mere public relations exercise without any real benefits to the people," stressed Yong.

SAPP
19/06/09

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