KDM's Beaufort division leaders quit to support Gagasan Rakyat

KOTA KINABALU: Two-year-old Parti KDM led by Datuk Peter Anthony is facing a crisis as top leaders from its Beaufort division on Sunday (January 7) quit the party to throw their support behind Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat).

KDM vice-president and Beaufort division head Datuk Johair Mat Lani announced she and other leaders from her division have quit the native-based interior party in favour of Gagasan Rakyat led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

Speaking at a press conference in the southwestern Beaufort district, some 100km from here, Johair said they have decided to back Gagasan Rakyat’s Klias assemblyman Datuk Isnin Aliasnih and also Kuala Penyu rep Datuk Limus Jury.

Klias and Kuala Penyu are the two state constituencies within the Beaufort parliamentary area.

“I announce that I am leaving from KDM and relinquishing all my positions which are the vice-president I and Beaufort division head,” she said, in a video widely circulated over social media.

“Together with me are all the division committee leadership as well as the Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings.

“We would like to state our support and will continue our struggle with Isnin and Limus. We have confidence that the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition can still spearhead Sabah.

“We agreed unanimously on this decision without any coercion from any quarters,” added Johair.

She however thanked the KDM family for their support as well as Anthony, who is Melalap assemblyman, for leadership, particularly in his effort to place KDM on equal footing with other older parties in the state.

“We apologise for any shortcomings before. We believe that one day, we will not be too far apart,” she said.

The move comes at a crucial time when KDM is applying to join Pakatan Harapan as a component party.

When contacted over Johair’s announcement, KDM information chief Dr Oswald Aisat Igau said they have yet to receive any resignation letter from her.

Johair was among the candidates named by Anthony to contest in the 15th General Election.

She contested in a six-horse race for the Beaufort parliamentary seat which she eventually lost to Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Siti Aminah Aching.

Gagasan Rakyat is the anchor party of GRS which also has six other component parties namely Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Sabah STAR, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), United Sabah National Organisaation (Usno), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah.