KOTA KINABALU, Feb 17 — Sabah DAP is in concert behind Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal as the head of the state government leadership and will support whatever decision made regarding the stand of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) to spread its wings to Sabah.
Sabah DAP chairman Datuk Stephen Wong Tien Fatt said his party believed that Mohd Shafie, who is also Parti Warisan Sabah president (Warisan), had the capability to handle the issue well.
“We know he (Mohd Shafie) is capable of handling this issue and we will certainly be behind him in whatever decision he makes (on PPBM’s entry into Sabah),” he said.
Stephen, who is also Sabah’s Health and Wellbeing Minister, said this when met by reporters after attending the Chinese New Year Open House organised by Kota Kinabalu DAP here today.
Also present at the open house were DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang, Sabah DAP secretary Chan Foong Hin and Sabah DAP Women chief Jannie Lasimbang.
Stephen was asked to comment on the announcement of PPBM chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on PPBM’s agreement to set up branches in Sabah.
On Friday, Tun Dr Mahathir said the decision was made after members of Sabah Umno quit the party but did not want to join Warisan which is the ally of Pakatan Harapan (PH).
Commenting further, Stephen said that PPBM’s entry into Sabah was seen as able to have an impact on PH, but DAP realised that PPBM’s decision to set up branches in the state could not be stopped as it was their right to do so.
However, Stephen said Sabah DAP did not agree with PPBM’s actions in accepting former Umno leaders to join the party, and for now, he was not been able to visualise how the DAP and PPBM could co-operate as components of PH in Sabah.
Meanwhile, Lim, when met by reporters, did not want to elaborate on the matter before hearing a statement from Mohd Shafie.
Earlier, 200 members of Umno and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) from the Matunggong branch handed membership forms to join Sabah DAP to Lim and Stephen. — Bernama
