GRS' Rubin says son's decision to join KDM nothing to do with him

KOTA KINABALU: Gabungan Rakyat Sabah's Kemabong assemblyman Datuk Rubin Balang (pic) says the actions of his son Riduan to contest as an independent and join Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) has nothing to do with him.

"It is my son's decision, I have no say in it," Rubin said amid calls by Sabah Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin for GRS to take disciplinary action against him (Rubin) for allegedly backing Riduan's move to join KDM.

Rubin's alleged involvement was sparked after he was seen at the KDM office in Tenom when Riduan handed over his membership application to KDM president Datuk Peter Anthony on Nov 11.

Explaining the situation with regards to his son, Rubin said that Riduan had made his own decision after receiving an offer to become a member of KDM before the Nov 19 polling to avoid being subjected to the anti-hopping law.

"I was given to understand that Riduan and his supporters offered to join the party before the polling day to avoid the anti-hop law.

"Anthony called me to come to the KDM party office.

"They asked me if I was against Riduan joining KDM. I told them that I have no right to protest as Riduan had quit Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) before the Nov 5 nomination day.

"I immediately left after giving my views at the very brief meeting at the KDM office," he said in a statement posted on Facebook on Sunday (Nov 13).

As such, Rubin said that he regretted Bung's call to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor for action to be taken against him for allegedly being involved in Riduan's move to join KDM.

"I really regret Bung's call for Hajiji to sack me from my position in a GLC without checking on the facts," he said.

Rubin reminded Bung that he (Rubin) won the Kemabong seat as an independent before joining GRS and Barisan to form the state government in the September 2020 state election.

Under the GRS-Barisan seat sharing deal, Barisan had fielded Jamawi Jaafar for the Tenom seat but the presence of Rubin's son Riduan as an independent candidate has sparked speculations that he was a GRS friendly candidate.

KDM's move to make Riduan a member comes after Anthony's nomination as KDM candidate was rejected on Nov 5.

Rubin said that Bung should be mature enough to understand the political development as Riduan was acting on his own.