Trouble in Sabah with LDP breaking ties with CM Musa
By Michael Kaung, Free Malaysia Today
KOTA KINABALU: The long ongoing undeclared war against the Sabah’s Barisan Nasional boss and chief minister Musa Aman was today formally announced by a coalition member. In a shocking announcement, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) said in a statement that the party could no longer cooperate with Musa.
LDP deputy president Chin Su Phin however said the party would continue to support and work together with Umno in the ruling coalition.
“We also fully support the Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and his 1Malaysia Vision,” he said in a statement which followed a meeting with several LDP supreme councillors here yesterday to deliberate on the outcome of the state BN meeting chaired by Musa the same day.
Chin said party president VK Liew, who is currently on a working trip overseas, will be briefed of the current political developments, including the outcome of the state BN meeting.
“LDP will submit a memorandum to BN chairman cum Prime Minister Najib on what had happened in Sabah,” he said.
Chin said that the state BN meeting turned out to be a fiasco as LDP had not been allowed to fully express its views, suggestions or dissatisfactions.
“It is sad to note that the only the state BN chairman expressed his view and wanted us to accept his opinion but he didn’t want to hear the views of other BN component parties or what they wanted to say.”
Unfriendly district officer
Chin said during the meeting, he raised the issue of Kudat district chief Harun Bidin going against the BN in the March 2008 general election and Harun’s recent decision in sacking eight community leaders without the knowledge of Tanjung Kapor assemblyman which hurt the BN spirit and tarnished the good image of Umno in Sabah.
He said Local Government and Housing Minister Hajiji Noor explained during the meeting that the latter had already called Harun and gave a stern warning to him not to damage the BN’s image.
He said Musa brushed off the LDP leaders’ call for action, saying he feared sacking Harun would provoke him to jump over to the opposition which will affect Umno and the BN.
Musa also said LDP should not have requested for the Harun’s sacking, Chin said.
“We don’t understand why the Chief Minister insists on protecting such a leader like Harun. I want to ask the Chief Minister, isn’t Sabah the fixed deposit for BN? If Sabah Umno is really solid, why is it afraid of a small leader like Harun quitting?
“In our view, Musa knows that Harun can’t cooperate with the LDP and is bent on destroying LDP.
