PENAMPANG: National-level opposition leader, Lim Kit Siang, has directed DAP party leaders in Sabah to bury the hatchet and stop the on-going war of words with fellow opposition member, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP).
The veteran opposition leader is worried that the quarrel between the party’s state branch and SAPP is distracting them from the real challenge in the 13th general election that could be called by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak any time now.
Lim, now the DAP advisor, said DAP Sabah should focus on strengthening the party and the Pakatan Rakyat coalition in the state so that it could topple the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) in the coming general election.
It should be side-tracked by their disagreement with SAPP.
Speaking at the Sabah DAP annual delegates congress here over the weekend, Lim reminded delegates that the 13th general election is not between the DAP and SAPP.
“It will be between DAP and Pakatan Rakyat against Umno and Barisan Nasional.
“My advice to Sabah DAP leaders is to end to the war of words (with SAPP) focus on DAP, PR (Pakatan) against Umno BN,” he said.
DAP not aware
On the allocation of seats for the coming election, Lim hoped that the Pakatan coalition comprising DAP, PKR and PAS would be able to formulate a common policy so as to avoid any misunderstanding on the matter.
Lim said he was informed by Sabah DAP leaders that advanced discussions and negotiations on the allocation of seats for Sabah were taking place.
“But because there has been a change in the Sabah PKR leadership, we have to await further communication.
“What has been decided and negotiated within the Sabah Pakatan, was conducted when Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail was the chairman therefore I believe there will be a basis for us to reach a final agreement.
“We hope that Pakatan Sabah will be ready to take on BN one to one and to ensure that we can get at least one third of the parliamentary seats in Sabah so that we are on the way to Putrajaya to bring about change not only in Malaysia but in Sabah as well,” Lim said.
‘Not attacking SAPP anymore’
Sabah DAP chief Jimmy Wong said that the state DAP leadership would implement a ‘ceasefire’ against SAPP.
“As far as we are concerned, we have a ceasefire at the moment. We are not going to attack (SAPP) anymore. We are focusing on the issue DAP Pakatan versus Umno BN,” he said.
Asked to comment on claims that PKR Sabah and SAPP had negotiated the issue of seats allocation, Wong who is also Sri Tanjong assemblyman said he was not aware of the matter.
“In fact we (Sabah DAP) are not aware of that. We have no knowledge of the negotiation between PKR and SAPP until we read in the newspaper today.
“They may have had private negotiation … Pakatan Sabah was not informed.
“Anyway we welcome PKR negotiating with SAPP. They have all the freedom to do so but then they have to adhere to the principle that (ay decision) is subject to Pakatan Rakyat Sabah leaders.
“They (Pakatan Rakyat Sabah leaders) will have the final say on the terms and conditions of allocation of seats,” he said.
‘Worsening race relations’
Earlier, Lim in his speech pointed out that Pakatan was the one actually promoting the 1Malaysia concept and that the BN is doing the opposite.
Elaborating on the issue, Lim said that the polarization of race and religious issues in the country had worsened under the BN over the last two years.
“There is this concern about worsening race relations … a general apprehension whether we are heading for some religious showdown.
“These are things which are not the result of one incident but the result of accumulative development of incitements, irresponsible sentiments by Umno blocks and Umno people on the Internet like for instance DAP wanting to have a Christian Malaysia … a Christian PM which is complete a pack of lies.
“But these things are allowed to be recycled over and over again to create that type of confrontational feeling between the races and the religions which is against the whole concept of 1Malaysia which is to promote goodwill, greater understanding.
“What we are seeing is the very opposite and it is Pakatan that is playing the role to remove the misunderstandings among the races and religions to promote greater understanding instead.
“So although in name BN is promoting 1Malaysia, instead it is doing the very opposite,” he said
