KOTA KINABALU: Sabah state assembly is set to see a larger opposition after 12 years of a near-empty opposition bench.
The resurgent opposition which won 12 state seats seven PKR, four DAP and one STAR is the largest since Parti Bersatu Sabah returned to the Barisan Nasional fold in 2002.
The Barisan has 48 seats in the 60-member house.
In 2004, there was only an independent who was Barisan friendly on the opposition bench.
The 11 elected Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen will pick a state opposition leader, who will most likely come from Sabah PKR, according the Pakatan sources.
They said Pakatan assemblymen was expected to discuss the matter within the next week.
Klias assemblyman Datuk Lajim Ukin and Tamparuli assemblyman Datuk Wilfred Bumburing are among the favourites to be the opposition leader.
In the last state assembly, there was only one elected opposition member, Jimmy Wong (DAP-Sri Tanjung), but was joined six months after the March 2008 election by two members from SAPP, which left Barisan to sit in the opposition bench.
SAPP did not win any seat this time.
Wong contested and won the Kota Kinabalu parliamentary seat in the general election.
Sabah DAP publicity chief Chan Foong Yin said he expected PKR to lead the opposition since it had the most number of seats.
Najib: Umno is strong but must reflect on its weaknesses
ReplyDeleteKUALA LUMPUR: After 67 years in existence, Umno remains a strong and successful party but needs to reflect on its weaknesses if it wants continuous support from the people.
Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Saturday the party, which has been given a mandate for the next five years must be humble and respect the wishes of the rakyat.
"We gather here in this august hall as a party that is strong. The election results which saw the number of seats Umno won increase from 79 to 88 is our testimony.
"Let us correct our weaknesses, thank those who are with us and find ways to win over those who have yet to support us in the 14th general election," he said in his address at Umno's 67th anniversary.
The celebration was also attended by former party president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek and his deputy Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel and Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.
Najib said Umno, who has been in power continuously for more than six decades could be considered as the world's most successful political party.
He reiterated that Umno was not a racist party but one that was inclusive and moderate.
"We ensure justice to all who have rights and regard everyone as our partner.We will defend policies which are fair, equitable and moderate," he stressed.
Najib pledged that Umno and Barisan Nasional would not allow Pakatan Rakyat's "opportunistic politics" to destroy everything that it had worked for.
"Even though we have been strongly challenged in the election, in the end, Malaysians had decided that they want continuity and stability," he said.
Najib called on party members to work as a team so that Umno could guarantee to all Malaysians that it could help to make the country peaceful, prosperous and successful.
Meanwhile, Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in his message said the party must undergo a more comprehensive and radical political transformation process.
"This is to allow Umno to become a Malay, Islamic and Malaysian political party which is more dynamic, inclusive and visionary so that the party can become universal in terms of its struggle without forgetting its original objectives," he said.
Muhyiddin, who is deputy Barisan chairman said component parties must also undertake bigger reform efforts so that they could be accepted by all races.
He called on Umno to increase effort to reach out to the Malay middle class in the urban areas, adding that the younger generation was also another important group that the party must do more to woo.
Muhyiddin also urged members to pledge loyalty to Umno and to fully support Najib to continue leading the party and the country.
Macam saya simpati pula dengan SAPP. hihihi
ReplyDeletekesian SAPP lansung tidak menang
DeleteKemenangan sudah berpihak kepada BN jadi terima sajalah sebab itu adalah pilihan rakyat majoriti.
ReplyDeleteYang kalah terimalah kekalahan itu dan yang menang pula buatlah apa yang patut. Pastikan majoriti yang mengundi BN tu puas hati dengan undian mereka.
ReplyDeleteSemoga Sabah dibawah pentadbiran Musa akan terus maju dan rakyatnya pula hidup selesa.
ReplyDeleteThe Barisan Nasional retained power in Sabah by winning 48 of the 60 State seats at stake, but it was the opposition Pakatan Rakyat that impressed, winning 11 of the seats while local based STAR grabbed one.
ReplyDeleteSabah BN chief, Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman was sworn in for a fourth term as Chief Minister at Istana Negeri at 10.00am (Monday).
ReplyDeleteAmong the major casualties at State level was deputy Chief Minister of PBS who lost to PKR’s Christina Liew by a mere 795 votes, and Sabah MCA chief, Datuk Edward Khoo who got trounced in Kapayan.
ReplyDeleteSabah STAR’s Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan won in Bingkor – making a comeback to the State assembly after a 14-year hiatus. He had previously won Bingkor in 1994 on a PBS ticket.
ReplyDeleteMusa, speaking to the media at Sri Gaya said despite the setbacks, Sabahans were generally still supportive of Barisan that won two thirds of the 60 seats in the Sabah state assembly.
ReplyDelete‘’Our candidates won with bigger majorities while those who were defeated had only lost with marginal majorities,’’ Musa told the media at 1.30am.
ReplyDelete‘’We need to sit down and discuss how we can improve,’’ Musa said in adding that he was confident of Barisan being able to eventually wrest back the seats it had lost.
ReplyDeleteHe denied that the Chinese had abandoned the BN.
ReplyDelete’We have to strategise and start working early,’’ Musa said in adding that his constant advice to Barisan elected representatives was that they had to frequently to go down to the ground.
ReplyDelete‘’If we serve the people well, they will respond in kind,’’ he added.
ReplyDelete