Is trouble brewing within Sabah Barisan Nasional?
KOTA KINABALU: Is the 13th general election closing in? Is that the reason why Chief Minister Musa Aman has taken a personal interest in enticing grassroots opposition leaders like PKR’s Pajudin Nordin and DAP’s James Leong into Sabah Barisan Nasional?
Rumours are rife here that something is “indeed brewing”.
A source close to Umno said that Musa is being secretive about his strategy.
“He’s not talking to anyone. He’s not saying anything about the election… he is springing one surprise after another.
“Pajudin’s move from PKR to Umno was a surprise to many. It all happened quickly… Pajudin met Musa… this is unusual because Pajudin is not in the political mainstream.
“Even James (Leong) is not in the mainstream. His sudden resignation from DAP to join Gerakan was a shock…
“All these developments strengthened speculations over Musa’s political strategy. Things are not going well for him within Umno and the state BN.
“He’s losing support and knows that the leaders of the component parties are unhappy and grassroots members are angry… he just can’t trust anyone,” said the source.
Yesterday Leong, who was Tawau DAP complaints bureau chairman, along with nine other DAP members, quit the party.
Leong joined Sabah Gerakan headed by former Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) member Liew Yun Fah.
Musa’s presence in Tawau to withness Leong’s application to join Gerakan has stirred curioisty.
Payback time
Sabah DAP secretary Dr Edwin Bosi opined that Musa’s presence in Tawau was “payback time” and was “to spite” LDP leaders VK Liew and former minister Chong Kah Kiat, with whom Musa has an axe to grind.
“Musa’s personal presence in Tawau with Yun Fah was to give his undivided support to Yun Fah and to spite VK Liew and Chong.
“As far as Yun Fah is concerned, this is payback time for VK Liew who dumped him in the 2008 election,” he said.
According to Bosi, Leong had only last week informed him that Musa was upset with LDP and its vote of no confidence (last year) against him.
“Leong told me that Musa was in no mood to take it (the vote) lying down… he’s been waiting for a good time (to strike back).
“Gerakan is aiming to contest in Tawau parliamentary constituency and in Sri Tanjung state seat (held by DAP leader Jimmy Wong).
“And they have Musa’s support,” Bosi said, adding that DAP could not guarantee Leong, who wants to contest in the general election, a seat.
He said Leong had been a good source of information on what was happening in Sabah Umno and BN because he was close to Gerakan’s Liew.
“It is sad that Leong has left… We know of his close association with Liew… We were fed with lots of information about the goings-on in Umno and BN.
“We know that BN partners PBS, Upko, PBRS and LDP are unhappy because their supporters have been marginalised.
“Their people are not getting projects, businesses, contracts and civil and political positions… they just see only one race is dominating in Sabah,” Bosi said.
