KOTA KINABALU, Sept 6 — Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim urged Sabahans to send a “clear signal” in the coming state election and reject politics of patronage, racism and corruption through their votes.
The PKR president accused the federal Perikatan Nasional (PN) government of being more focused on retaining its rule by handing out favours and positions than public interest.
“This is why Sabahans during this election need to send a clear signal. Enough is enough,” he said in his speech launching PKR’s election machinery here last night.
Anwar called on Sabahans to choose leaders who had integrity.
He said the PN is in a precarious position in the Dewan Rakyat, holding a narrow edge over the Opposition with just 119 MPs in the 222-seat House and that the federal government could change any time.
“The prime minister cannot sleep soundly. Never before had we had so many ministries, a lot of money is spent there. The unemployment rate is soaring so high,” he said.
However, Anwar told Sabahans that these political issues were far away across the South China Sea in the peninsula, but were also in their home state.
“Yes, we have politicians who rob the country. But in Sabah, there are also people robbing timber. So you need people with integrity to lead,” he said.
Touching on the ongoing seat negotiations, Anwar urged PKR’s partners for fair distribution, saying his party had been in Sabah since 2001.
Anwar assured his party’s allies Warisan and Upko that PKR would field candidates who were loyal to the party’s reform cause.
“I guarantee my friends in Warisan and Upko that we will have good candidates who are with us,” he said.
He also reminded them that it was the PKR flag that went to polls in GE14 and won big for Pakatan Harapan with 54 per cent of total voters.
Nominations for Sabah is on September 12, polling is on September 26.
