KOTA KINABALU: There is no need to bring up sentiments that cause friction and disunity among the people during the upcoming state polls, says Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Questioning why anyone should raise such sentiments, the Deputy Prime Minister defended his initial criticism of slogans like "Sabah for Sabahans" or "Sabahans First" used by local political leaders.
“In fact, we need each other. Development for the state and its people requires cooperation from both the federal and state levels.
“Don’t be closed-minded,” said the Barisan Nasional chairman and Umno president.
Ahmad Zahid was officiating the Gerak17 election machinery for the Karambunai state seat, Saturday (May 17).
His initial criticism of the slogans had irked many local leaders and Sabahans, who had called his statement insensitive to the needs and feelings of Sabahans.
Earlier in his speech, Ahmad Zahid reminded party members and leaders to work with their political allies like Pakatan Harapan and get closer to the grassroots.
He said a spirit of "give and take" has to be embraced in a political alliance, with seat sharing and other formulas to be discussed and decided on properly.
He said it was important to get rid of the bad and open up new chapters to start fresh as they aim to win in the coming state election.
“If we win in PRN17, I promise to talk to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to give more focus on the economic and development needs of Sabah,” he said.
Sabah Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin also criticised the Sabah for Sabahan sentiment, asking why certain leaders only chose to have such a strong sense of ‘Sabahan-spirit’ now.
“(Datuk Seri) Jeffrey Kitingan, let me ask you, during the 2020 state election when Parti Warisan and Barisan each won 29 seats, why did you choose to work with Barisan and not Warisan?” he asked.
“If you said you want Sabah for Sabahans, you would have chosen to go with Warisan,” he said, adding that any slogan was useless if the leaders did not want to change and work for the people.
Instead, Jeffrey had chosen to work with Barisan and hence, ended Warisan’s two-year reign in Sabah.
Bung said this coming state election was the best, if not the only, chance for Barisan and Pakatan to change the political dynamics of Sabah.
In the event, Karambunai assemblyman Datuk Yakub Khan said over the years, Barisan had brought about many developments for the people of Sabah and Malaysians in general.
He said infrastructure, people’s aid and welfare, facilities and education developments were seen for the people of Sabah.
“So if anyone said Umno or any other Malaya-based political parties have to be rejected, then does it mean we give back what we have received from the Federal Government all this while?” he asked.
“Are we Umno and Barisan leaders here in Sabah not Sabahans too?” Yakub further asked.
Earlier, he also asked for some allocations for Sepanggar (Karambunai is under Sepanggar), including water tanks for villagers, repair of broken bridges for water villages, to upgrade the IKM (Mara) Kota Kinabalu football field, repair roads and funds to build community halls in housing and residential areas.
To these requests, Ahmad Zahid approved a total of 1,500 water tanks, repair of village roads and asked that Yakub meet him for a more detailed discussion for the construction of halls, among other amenities.
