The Star, Tuesday, July 17, 2007 contained the following report:
"KOTA KINABALU: All is not well with the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) in Sabah with a tussle over who is going to be the state chief. Sabah PKR secretary Kanul Gindol said 20 of the 23 division heads want incumbent Awang Tengah Awang Amin retained as state party chief. However, Kanul said that PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had informed them that lawyer and Tuaran division head Ansari Abdullah may replace Awang Tengah. “I have made it clear that I want Awang Tengah or the party’s vice-president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan to head Sabah PKR,” Kanul said yesterday. He said that several Sabah division leaders had made their stand known when party secretary-general Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim came to listen to their views at Dr Kitingan’s house on Friday. Claiming that Sabah PKR would “disintegrate” if there was a change in the leadership, Kanul said that Sabah was the only state where no one had been officially named to lead although Anwar had promised to do so within two weeks after party elections in May. When asked about Kanul’s statement, Dr Kitingan said it was Kanul’s personal opinion. “I feel that the views of the majority should be maintained. But the leadership may see things in a different angle and may feel that certain moves would strengthen the party here.” He said he would meet Anwar in the next couple of days to discuss the matter. Sabah PKR deputy chairman Christina Liew insisted that there was no crisis in the party and described the bickering as normal in any party"
When I met Dr. Jeff to interview him about my research on Sabah politics, he spoke passionately about his struggle with his new party, Parti Keadilan Rakyat or simply PKR. His participation in PKR was rather unique. He went to Tambunan and announced "officially" that he was going to fight for the people's rights through PKR. He even sealed an agreement known as "Tambunan Declaration" with PKR's adviser and one-time UMNO's strongman, Anwar Ibrahim. I thought Dr. Jeff chose Tambunan because he wanted his involvement in Keadilan to be dramatic, following his brother's (Pairin Kitingan) rise to prominence in Tambunan in 1985. But now, all seems not to be well in PKR Sabah with the latest power struggle to helm the post of Sabah PKR Chief. According to PKR's constitution, the presiden of the party has the prerogative to appoint state chief. But some in Sabah PKR maintained that Awang Tengah was suitable to be chief based on the majority voice of all divisions throughout the state. Anwar, it was said, wanted Ansari to replace Awang. It was not immediately known why Anwar preferred Ansari. But it seemed to indicate that Anwar wanted someone who could lead Sabah PKR to prominence as what Dominique Ng had done in Sarawak by contributing one PKR seat to the State Assembly. But all eyes are now on Dr. Jeff. Would he be taking on his brother in Tambunan? Or would he be able to making an impact through PKR? Well, the upcoming general election would probably show how relevant Dr. Jeff still is in Sabah politics.
3 comments:
it is sad to see that pkr is in a mess in sabah. if the party cannot resolve its internal problem, then, how it is going to take bn down in the upcoming general election? after all, the voter might assume, why should they vote for a party which seems to concern more about who's going to be the chief than what are the issues of concern at the grassroots level?
I think what had happen in Sabah PKR recently is just a small internal issue in which they themselves among the leaders can resolve it. I believe that with Anwar's experience as ex-DPM, he would be able to call all the leaders to calm and focus on the core struggles as well as to prepare for the upcoming general election, which is some say around the corner.
I also hope that all opposition parties in Sabah to close ranks and to provide meaningful challenge to the State BN. This does not mean that I am an anti-establishment. I think Sabah needs an opposition party to provide check and balance in the Assembly which is controlled by UMNO. Recently, I saw Tony Blair the former PM of Britain delivering his speech while at the same time receiving various constructive criticims from his colleagues. Blair was very relaxed and the atmophere at the British parliament was so exciting. I hope our Assembly and honourable ADUNs would project the same attitude when debating issues.
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