KOTA KINABALU, Feb 17 — Datuk Marcus Mojigoh, a veteran Sabah lawmaker, is seriously considering leaving Barisan Nasional (BN) after serving his third term, saying he has had enough of the racial and religious politicking within the ruling coalition.

Describing some leaders in the dominant Umno party as borderline racists and extremists, the senior leader in the indigenous United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Organisation (Upko) said the BN leadership has failed to address many concerns of the people and instead allowed those vocal individuals to get away with divisive remarks that have hurt the rest of its component parties.

“My principle is that I represent the people. I bring up issues that are bothering them. And when I find I can no longer defend the government and I cannot face the people, then maybe it’s time to step down,” the Putatan MP told Malay Mail Online in an interview yesterday.

Mojigoh, who is both Upko vice-president and treasurer-general, said he had been observing the political landscape of Sabah for decades and fears for the future of the state that has long boasted of a multiracial and multireligious population that got along peacefully.

“BN has a good power-sharing concept. But more and more we see the racial card being played and it is unsettling. We are a minority here in Sabah, when one race is made to seem supreme, then others will feel marginalised.

“Of course we are nervous here when one race is made to seem strong,” he said.

Upko is one of several Sabah-based BN component parties and holds three parliamentary seats and four state seats.

He said that although the racists remarks were not made by the coalition’s top leaders, their silence on certain issues, including the recent call to boycott certain Chinese businesses sparked by Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob, made the people doubt their sincerity towards the minority group.

“I have 8,000 Chinese voters in my constituency. When someone says something like that, blaming the Chinese community, how do I answer them? How can I ask them to vote for us?” he asked.

Mojigoh also criticised the state government for banning DAP lawmaker Teresa Kok from entering Sabah, saying the move had angered the people who wondered at the silence in the face of provocative remarks from the likes of Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali and Islamist group Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma).

Mojigoh, the incumbent Putatan MP for three straight terms now, said the alleged Islamic conversion of a 16-year-old student in SMK Kinarut, in the neighbouring constituency was also a factor that led to his increasing frustration with BN.

“That was just one case that happened to come to light. But many more are spreading on social media. Allegations of syndicates going around using money as an incentive to convert. None are being investigated.

“It seems like our education system is being indoctrinated with such a culture. It is scary. You read about a few in the mainstream media, but then more so on social media.

“It may be untruths being spread to discredit the government, but when the government is quiet about all these claims, people will believe it,” he said.

Another issue that upset Mojigoh was the heavy-handed manner in which the authorities recently dealt with volunteers in Tuaran and Lahad Datu who were on a signature drive in support of Sabah seceding from Malaysia.

“These people were expressing themselves but were thrown into jail and treated like criminals. I do not think they are criminals but just some concerned citizens. These things should be addressed through the proper channels like a forum.

“As the government, they need to be seen as listening to the people, especially key issues like religion, the honouring of the Malaysia Agreement, and race,” he said.

Mojigoh said he and Upko acting president Datuk Madius Tangau had met with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak over the weekend to air his grievances.

“He’s heard me out, and I think he understands me,” he chuckled, but said he will not run in the next elections unless there was drastic change.

When asked how long he had been considering his retirement from politics, he said that was seasonal sentiments that sometimes got him disenchanted.

However, he dismissed speculation that he would join the opposition upon leaving BN.

“The best place to fight is still from BN. In theory, they still have the best power-sharing concept.

“Also, any kind of seemingly bullying tactics from Umno must be nipped in the bud. The top leadership may not be the bullies but they need to make a stand.

“Our prime minister is too nice, and doesn’t come across as firm enough so that his henchmen take advantage of this. He needs to make a stronger stand,” Mojigoh said.