SMS rumour not true, say Sabah BN MPs

By : Joniston Bangkuai and Jaswinder Kaur(NST)

Datuk Anifah Aman says it is the sort of rumour that is common in politics KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Barisan Nasional members of parliament are sticking with the ruling coalition, dismissing a text message (SMS) that they were crossing over to the opposition yesterday as a wild rumour. One leader even described the SMS, which has spread throughout the country, as "a very sickening syndrome". A check with coalition leaders and several MPs showed that it was business as usual, with a number attending to pre-planned programmes, including breaking-of-fast events with Muslim constituents. Sabah Barisan Nasional Parliamentary Backbenchers Club chairman Datuk Anifah Aman said it was the sort of rumour that was common in politics. "As far as I am concerned, it is not going to happen (defections). I am still with the BN," the Kimanis MP said when asked for his reaction to the SMS which said Sabah and Sarawak MPs would be leaving the coalition yesterday, followed by component parties today. Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has repeatedly said he had enough MPs, pointing at times to Sabah and Sara- wak, to topple the government by Sept 16, which is coincidentally Malaysia Day. In the March elections, the BN won 24 of the 25 parliamentary seats in Sabah, losing only the Kota Kinabalu constituency to the DAP. Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president Datuk Liew Vui Keong, who is Sandakan MP, was annoyed with repeated claims that elected representatives from the state would defect to the PKR. "There is nothing to be paranoid about Anwar's attempt to form a government through these undemocratic means. It is a sickening syndrome from a person whose agenda is to confuse the people. "The LDP does not have to hold a press conference just for this obnoxious claim. I do not think I need to give Anwar and the entire opposition that honour and credit," Liew said in a reply through SMS when asked his views and if the party would hold a press conference to refute the claim. Parti Bersatu Sabah information chief Johnny Mositun said the party's three MPs would remain with the BN. "Some may argue that politics is the art of the possible, but I don't think this so-called defection to Pakatan will happen. It is not that easy," Mositun said. It has been learnt that PBS president Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, who is Tambunan MP, has a list of events to attend in Sabah this weekend and early next week, including in Semporna where the deputy chief minister will be briefed on poverty. Pairin's deputy and Kota Marudu MP Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili recently said he had always been "anti-political hopping". United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) deputy president Datuk Wilfred Bumburing said he had checked on the rumour and no defections would take place. "Maybe it is a strategy employed by certain people to destabilise the government. I spoke to (Upko president) Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, who is in Kota Kinabalu, and he said he did not know anything (about crossovers)," said Bumburing, who is Tuaran MP. Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup is away in his Pensiangan constituency, according to his wife Puan Sri Melinda Kurup who answered his handphone. "He has been there for the last few days. There is no handphone signal because it is such a remote area. Maybe he will be back in a day or two." Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) deputy president Datuk Eric Majimbun did not touch on the issue of crossing over. Instead, he said he was busy until Hari Raya Aidilfitri which falls early next month. "I am visiting villages and giving tokens to the needy," said the Sepanggar MP. The other SAPP MP, Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui (Tawau), who along with Majimbun were supposed to table a motion of no confidence against the prime minister in June, said the rumour was not true. Sabah BN chairman and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman had on Wednesday said leaders in the state should focus on development and not on defections. "We in Sabah should not be preoccupied with talking about defections."